Cold Heart, Renewed Soul
by Koishi The Satori
Summary: A run-in with the Empress leaves Hat Kid on the brink of death. However, the Snatcher isn't willing to let them die so easily.
1. Rebirth

The Metro was a dark place, without all the neon. Miles underground, countless miles of rock, stone and metal separating it from the surface far above. However, even for the already self-sufficient metro, the maintenance tunnels were practically barren.

The neon in this remote section of the metro flickered on and off, leaving the small, battered form that was scrambling through it disoriented as it went on and off with no discernible pattern. Their species never needed anything like the capability to see in pitch black environments.

Something very unlike the girl's feline pursuers. They could hear them in the distance, numerous paws echoing through the sprawling labyrinthine maintenance tunnels they got themselves into. The line the tunnels were for was defunct, making it one of the most isolating places within the metro.

And one of the worst places to be if the Nyakuza were after you. The child's body was bruised, blood leaking from a broken nose as they scrambled, holding in their whimpers just barely, gritting their teeth. They moved through corner after corner, the ambient light lower and lower. Sparks flew from the light overhead as it finally gave out. They turned another corner, only for their head to land face first into a dead end.

They couldn't help but yelp at it, massaging their head for a moment as footsteps approached. The first thing they could see was their eyes. Yellow in colour, they peered from the darkness, their feline forms visible for brief moments as light flickered on and off behind them. Short cats lied in front, holding bats in their hands, and behind them walked the Empress. Their form was unmistakable, even only seeing their outline with the flashes of light, as their one good eye stared at them with a restrained, professional anger that only years of temperament could create.

"And here I was, thinking you were surprisingly clever for a child." they spoke, hand behind their back as the cats stopped several feet in front of the kid.

"I gave you a chance to run. To go away and never come back. Yet here you are. Your stupidity outweighs your boldness." the Empress spoke, professional but clear vitriol in their words as they stepped forward, the smaller cats parting as they approached the small one before them.

Hat Kid wearily brought their Umbrella to bear as the Empress approached, but the incredibly tall cat caught it midway through the alien's swing, wrenching it from their hands before kicking them to the ground with a foot, idly tossing the umbrella backwards, over the heads of the four cats behind them.

"Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no way to fight." The Empress spoke as a clawed hand reached down for the scruff of Hat Kid's neck, pulling them up to eye level.

"Now, child, normally I wouldn't take such a thing personally, but you interfered with my entire operation, caused a large loss in profit, AND stole from me. And for even one of those things, I would kill you on the spot." The Empress bared their fangs as their face closed in inches from the kid's own.

"So for you, i'm going to make you suffer." The Empress spoke, throwing the kid into the wall. A distinct crack rang out as their back collided with concrete, and tears began to roll down the kid's face.

"Finish them. Slowly. Break every bone in their little body." The Empress growled to their subordinates. Their masks hid zealous, sociopathic smiles, even as they approached with a mixture of bats and claw hammers. The Empress themselves backed off, Hat Kid's face filled with terror as they watched their outline leave, and the mob approach.

She could barely feel their legs anymore, their vision blurry as the first blows rained down upon them. Ribs cracked in moments, legs twisting in directions they reasonably shouldn't.

But from the shadows, another form watched, one almost indistinguishable from their surroundings, the normally bright glow of their face reduced to nothingness.

In most instances, the Snatcher would have been quite pleased to hear of Hat Kid's demise. It was something they had tried numerous times in the past. Hell, that one Coin contract was the whole reason they came here again in the first place, right? They could say they were responsible for this. They finally killed that petulant little brat who disgraced them within their own forest.

But they weren't feeling that. Not at all, actually. Instead, their claws nigh imperceptibly trembled. Memories from long ago bubbled within their mind.

_Guards beating them down, clamping hands with shackles one size too tight, hauling them to that dark, damp room below the manor._

_The visage of the one they once loved beating them until their face swelled, until bruises lined their entire body, all because of misunderstanding and delusion._

_The feeling of their body wilting away, starvation and internal bleeding claiming their life._

Nobody deserved such a thing. Their methods for murder were clean and direct. A energy pillar that could disintegrate a man instantly, a quick snap of the neck, devouring the soul of another in a single bite. This… this wasn't that. It was messy, slow, horrifically painful. It was torture. And to do such to a _child_? To, what Snatcher could only describe as the cheeriest being they had ever met even despite how infuriating they found them?

This could _not_ stand.

A chill went through the air, feline fur raising in a sense of alert, the cats ceasing their onslaught momentarily.

One cat was ripped into the darkness in seconds, never to be seen again. The next, atomized before they could realize as a purple pillar erupted from the ceiling.

The third had time to panic, but said emotion was quickly silenced as the shadows themselves rose up and seemed to suffocate them. The fourth backed up, clutching their bat, but as they backed up, they ran into something… strange feeling.

The cat quickly turned around, only to find themselves face to face with a creature taller than any they had seen before, who's dark form was only visible via the glowing face that stared down at them, one filled with sadistic glee.

A claw came down to their shoulder, holding the cat in place.

"**If you're smart…**" the creature began, face curling into an incredibly hateful expression, their voice lowering significantly as phantasmal fire billowed up behind them.

"_**You'll **__**run**_**.**" it finished, and the cat's panicked face translated quite easily into them fleeing past the corpses of their former friends, leaving the ghostly figure alone with the heavily battered child.

The Snatcher turned around, looking more closely at the kid's wounds. Numerous parts of them were battered and broken. Their face heavily disfigured, leaking blood from multiple orifices. Much of their visible skin was bruised, and many of their limbs seemed practically shattered. He was no doctor, but they knew a thing or two about injury. The fact that the child had the energy to cry, let alone breath amazed Snatcher. They should've died long ago.

"**God, kid.**" they muttered, just loud enough for the child to hear. "**All you had to do was get a couple coins. Not get the focus of the biggest criminal organization around.**"

Hat Kid merely looked up a Snatcher, about to mouth something as the Snatcher's arms carefully picked them up, a single clawed finger being applied to their lips. "**Don't talk. It'll only worsen things. I don't know if I can fix this, but…**"

Snatcher's face seemed to morph into contemplation for a moment before they refocused on Hat Kid's eyes beginning to close.

"**No, no! Kid, you've gotta' stay awake, at least for a little longer.**" Snatcher spoke, a dash of fear within their voice. Internally, they sent out a mental message, a set of commands for their minions back in Subcon.

"**It'll be okay, kid. I know what to do.**" they spoke, seemingly more to themselves than the child themselves as they held the kid a little more tightly, morphing themselves and the child into the shadows, leaving only corpses behind as the low flickering lights of the tunnel finally petered out of existence.

* * *

Subcon Forest was almost always filled with an eerie quiet. Birds that weren't one of Snatcher's familiars were nowhere to be seen, and the only sounds came from the crackle of fire, the bubbling of the swamp, and the occasional sounds of insects.

Said quiet was disturbed quite suddenly as the ground opened up, shadows consuming a large patch as the Snatcher's snake-like form erupted upwards, near corpse in hand.

Their small minions waved them over to a clearing beside their little home. It had been set up with a table, alongside numerous candles and odd occult patterns that covered most of the ground.

"Place is set up, boss!" one of them called out.

"**Good. Now stay out of my way until I tell you to.**" The Snatcher's voice sounded like it usually did, but the hooded minions could practically feel the emotions coming off them in waves. Anger. Panic. Worry. The first was something very common for Snatcher, but the others… they knew such things only usually appeared when thinking about the past.

But the rage overrode it, and they simply nodded, standing outside of the large circle of candles as they placed down the child upon the table.

Snatcher could be truly terrifying when angry, but it wasn't just because of the anger itself, but the deep focus that came with it. His rage was calm and collected for the most part, the kind that gave him drive, the capability to do things that felt like they could rip the world asunder.

Energy coalesced around the circle, the Snatcher's eyes closing as they muttered incantations under their breath. At this point, Hat Kid had fallen unconscious. They needed to work fast. As Snatcher continued muttering, different lines of symbols within the circle began to light.

Even with their eyes closed, the Snatcher could still see, in a sense. Peering into the ethereal, the plane of souls. Subcon's connection with it was stronger than most, and them being undead strengthened it further. They could see the lights of countless souls within the purple plane, akin to the lights of fireflies, with each counteracting the dark of the place. They could see Hat Kid's own soul, the connections to the body weakening with every second that passed. That wouldn't do, not at all.

Snatcher willed the energy of the very forest into their palms. At this point, Snatcher and their forest were practically the same thing. He could see through every nook, feel every intruder, know the locations of everything. It was his domain as much as it was a part of himself, and it also acted as a massive pool of magical energy. They retrieved some of it, gaps in the magical aura refilling as soon as it was taken.

Streams of purple energy then circled the child's soul, attaching onto and fusing into the tethers. In the physical world, energy streamed from the circle's symbols, crossing the planes as they began to connect to Hat Kid's body, flowing into it. But this was only the first step.

Snatcher made a motion, and the minions obeyed. The candles were each lit simultaneously, purple fire erupting from their stems, expanding along the lines until every symbol was filled. The table and Snatcher seemed to begin to sink into the ground, purple coating the entire circle. Outside of it, it would seem like both figures inside vanished into the purple murk, sinking like quicksand as it swallowed them whole.

Snatcher did not panic at such things, even if the feeling of shifting into another plane was… unpleasant. They could feel gnawing, things from the dark trying to reach out to consume them. Their power momentarily flared, sending them back for a time. The specter opened their eyes finally, looking to Hat Kid. Energy of the plane intermingled with their own, coating the alien's body in a featureless veil of purple and blue, shifting and nearly pulsating. This was merely a starting point, but one they could easily work with. With a will of magic, they rose the body, putting it upright as they weaved their magic, giving it form.

A face, a body, the clothes upon it, Snatcher molding the veil as a child would clay, chiseling out the child's features with a surprisingly delicate hand, their claws morphed into an array of fingers, fully focused on the task at hand. It took time, but eventually, a shape that Snatcher seemed fairly satisfied with came into view. It wasn't perfect, but they could feel the connection that allowed them here beginning to weaken. Their time was up.

So, to finish it off, they infused the veil into Hat Kid's soul, the two fusing into one, and in a bright flash, they were back in Subcon, with a quite different looking child.

Snatcher double checked the child's soul, seeing it as their whole person now. Good. It worked. They relaxed, fingers morphing back into their usual claw-like shape as the child still slept.

Then they realized that when the kid woke up, there would have to be a mountain of explanations prepared. Their face momentarily shifted into a grimace before they released a sigh, the ghost moving the table to an unused corner of their tree before planting themselves down in their favorite chair, and giving themselves a moment to enjoy the quiet while it lasted.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Well, this is… something, at least. A dark start, the tone of this isn't fully indicative of the whole fic, but it will probably highlight how dark i'm willing to get. Which is quite dark. Considering we're already starting with practically child death, things can only really go up from here._

_This fic is more of an experiment more than anything. I love Hat in Time, so I wanted to try my hand at writing for it, since I love the game's cast. This'll mostly focus on Snatcher and Hat Kid for the most part though. I'm unsure of how well I can write Snatcher, but I at least want to give it a try. Expect him to be a little more casual than usual, though. They'll be reasons for such, at least._

_While there is an overarching plot, it's more or less just going to be a stream of ideas and explanations more than anything, since Hat in Time is a weird world, and i'd love to explore it in that fashion. Expect chapters that that shift in tone greatly._

_Do tell me what you think, and if you'd like to see more._


	2. Awakening

The first thing that Hat Kid noticed on waking up was the cold. They could feel the natural wind of the forest bite into their skin, even though their body did not shiver. Their head hurt, an ache that made it hard to immediately think, the kid absentmindedly rubbing their head as a result.

That was when they saw their hand. Instead of it's normal colour, it was a dark purple, brightening around the edges. Immediately, thoughts of the previous day flitted into their mind.

The Nyakuza, the Empress, the shattering of bone. Images of the Snatcher floated around, but they couldn't remember specifics. Probably the head trauma. They looked at their hands with a sense of wonder. The same look seemed to apply to their sleeves as well. Before they could examine anything further, the shifting of paper caught their ears, the child looking over to find the form of the Snatcher, sitting within that chair of theirs, idly perusing a book. A slight glance up, and their standard grin became plastered on their face.

"**Oh, you're finally awake. Took your sweet time, kid.**" Snatcher spoke.

"Wha'... what happened?" Hat Kid questioned.

Snatcher sighed slightly, sliding a bookmark into their book and putting it away on their shelf.

"**Well, to put it bluntly kid, you **_**died**_**. A bunch of flea-ridden felines managed to do what I couldn't. **_**Truly **__**wonderful**_**.**" his voice seemed to drip venom with those last few words.

Hat Kid's face morphed into several expressions, alternating between each. Panic, Fear, Sadness, and several others Snatcher couldn't exactly put to words.

"Is this…" Hat Kid seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"**No, kid, this isn't the afterlife. I said I couldn't fix you, and no, I couldn't, so I did the next best thing.**" Snatcher pulled something out from behind their bookcase. It seemed to be an old full-body mirror, slightly cracked, but still usable.

They planted it in front of the kid, and they watched as the kid's eyes widened, a small gasp erupting from their lips.

Their entire body seemed… Snatcherfied, was the best way the kid could put it. That same purple sheen on their hands and sleeves seemed to extend over their whole body and clothing, their cape the main difference, being a lighter purple, edges slightly frayed and shifting with the same purple fire that coated Snatcher's contracts. Their eyes and mouth glowed a pure and brightly glowing yellow, and they could notice a pair of large fangs present.

However, the biggest change were their legs. Or, rather, the ghostly-looking tail they were now sporting, wide, but thinning out into a noodle-like shape. How did they not notice that immediately?! They sat up more properly, trying to get a feel for this new appendage, looking at it with a large amount of curiosity.

"**The purple and the tail weren't optional, just so you know.**" Snatcher spoke up. "**First can't be fixed, but you can learn to get legs later, if you want.**"

Hat Kid noticed Snatcher's oddly… casual tone. They sounded quite a bit less threatening than usual, so the first question was obvious. "Why?"

"**Figured that one was coming.**" Snatcher spoke, leaning back into their chair a bit further. "**Kid, I know you were running around in that 'Time Rift' or whatever it was after that first fight of ours. Those ones connected to dreams. What do you know about me?**"

"Um…" Hat Kid looked a little uncomfortable at the question.

"**Spit it out, kid, i'm not mad. I've snooped around my fair share of people's pasts too.**" Snatcher's voice tinged with annoyance for a moment.

"Well, I know that you were human once. Like, royalty, I think? Then some queen lady got super jealous because of a misunderstanding then threw you into a dungeon, then turned into that scary old manor lady. Then you became, uh, you?" Hat Kid spoke nervously.

"**Okay, so a skeletal idea of it. Some things you missed was how I really died. That part's what's important to this.**" Snatcher started. "**Vanessa and the guards… sometimes they would come down and just beat me. The guards did it on her orders, i'm sure. She sometimes did it herself. Broke me down, piece by piece. **_**Literally**_**. Sounds familiar, huh?**"

Hat Kid thought to the last things she remembered. The shattering of their spine, bats and hammers breaking their bones. "You… you didn't want me to experience what you did?"

"**In part, yes. Nobody deserves that kind of punishment, kid, ESPECIALLY a kid. You've 'died' more than enough times in **_**my**_ **contracts before for most of my vitriol towards you to be extinguished. I still think you're a little **_**brat**_ **who needs to learn when not to mess with other's property…**"

Hat Kid looked particularly guilty of that, considering something similar led to this in the first place. And crashed a cruise ship. That probably counted too.

"**But you're just a kid. Trust me, I was a little snot-nose shit when I was younger too.**" Hat Kid put a hand to their mouth as Snatcher swore, and the soul-stealer just seemed to make a motion similar to rolling their eyes, even if they had no visible pupils to know.

"**Kid, you're a ghost now. You're going to have to grow up at some point… even if you can't physically.**" Snatcher responded.

"**Point is, you can grow out of it. And you now you have a chance to.**" Snatcher continued.

A smile grew on Hat Kid's face as they said that, they then attempted to move off the table, only to fall the ground and hit the wood floor of the tree swiftly.

"**HAHAHA! That's right, I almost forgot how clumsy a newborn ghost can be!**" Snatcher laughed as the girl tried to pick themselves up from the ground, only managing to get halfway there, unsure of how this tail even slightly functioned in terms of actually allowing movement.

This struggle was interrupted by Snatcher putting their hands under Hat Kid's arms, raising them up, leaving the ghostly tail to wave about like a snake as they brought them to eye level.

"**It's something you've got to get used to. Like learning to walk aga-**" Snatcher's explanation was interrupted by the child putting their arms around the Snatcher's chest, giving the larger ghost a large hug.

"**Uh, kid…?**" Snatcher seemed quite confused at the display.

"Thank you." the child softly replied, nuzzling into Snatcher's collar somewhat.

Snatcher paused for a moment, simply registering the words and the invasion of personal space that was occurring. When was the last time anyone ever said that to them? Or hugged them, for that matter. They pushed the idea to the side for the moment with a sigh, pulling the alien off of themselves, placing the smaller ghost back on the table.

"**It's… no problem, kiddo.**" Snatcher replied, unsure of how exactly to respond. That uncertainly quickly drained from their face after the kid was detached though, as the Snatcher smacked his hands together, resulting in a large clap followed by the rubbing of hands...

"**Alright kid, time to learn how to actually move!**" Snatcher spoke with their standard nigh- enthusiastic tone. "**You're lucky, you know! I never had a teacher! It took me months to figure out how to float.**"

Snatcher's words seemed to enrapture the kid, who listened to every word quite closely. Minutes stretched into hours as the elder ghost explained how to actually move around as a ghost properly.

Oddly, Snatcher found themselves… enjoying this. They'd never admit it openly, but it was nice to have someone to pass things onto. Or even talk to, really, since their minions weren't exactly the best conversators. Hat Kid seemed far more attentive and ready to learn as well. Like an apprentice, of sorts. Perhaps later they could even formalize such a thing. Thus, even as Snatcher talked to the child about the intricacies of hovering, their mind was more set on the future. One that could prove to be very, very interesting indeed.

* * *

Le Felin was one of the largest stores within the Metro. Highly visible, it made up almost one entire end of the Metro's Maine Square, what many would consider to be the true heart of the Metro.

Yet, despite it's size and grandiose yet simplistic design, many cats tended to be somewhat antsy around it, often glancing towards it's front door nervously, for everybody knew that while it was a jewelry store, it was also the HQ for one of the Metro's most infamous groups, the Nyakuza. Not cat would dare declare such openly, however. That would lead to one's body being highly disfigured, tossed into an alleyway, and only discovered two weeks later.

The eyes of the Empress were everywhere, hiding in plain sight. But the Empress's own eyes right now were fixated on the two smaller cats in front of their desk, including one who looked quite frazzled.

"What do you mean you're the _only survivor_?" The Empress's anger seeped into their voice, the two cats slightly recoiling.

"I-it wasn't the kid, boss! It was some shadowy monster! It ripped us apart, and I think it only left me alive to send a message!" the cat responded in a panic, putting up hands to protect their face instinctively.

The Empress's eyes narrowed, the cat putting their hands together atop the desk, head inclining slightly closer to the frazzled cat.

"Please, describe this 'shadowy creature' for me." The Empress commanded.

"It was really, really tall! Like, three times your height, boss! It sorta looked like a really long cat tail with arms, with like a big collar-thing and a face that glowed bright yellow!"

The Empress was silent for a few moments, stilling themselves, only speaking after their nose twitched. "Are you 100% positive about this?"

"Y-yes, ma'am, i'm sure of it! It made the shadows come alive and fired this huge beam that just removed a guy instantly! There wasn't anything we could do!" the cat reaffirmed.

The Empress was quiet for a few more seconds.

"I believe you." they finally spoke. Before the cats could respond, she raised a single finger. "I want you to write a written report on what exactly they did, appearance, if they said anything or not. After you deliver that, you get a break for the day."

"Uh, alright boss, will do!" the cat spoke, moving out of the building to write the report, leaving the other cat alone with the Empress.

"You." The Empress spoke, focusing on the cat, who slightly jumped at the tone.."I'm going to need you to bring me every non-fiction book you can find on the creature known as the Snatcher or any other kind of undead or spectral being."

"S-sure thing, boss!" the cat gave a little salute, the Empress rolling their eyes as they pulled a small stack of bills, handing them to the cat.

"Those are your funds for the task. Any left is your payment. And if you try to take it all…" The Empress's face closed in on the smaller cat, leering down at them from the counter. "I'll show you what a _real _boogeyman can do."

"Of c-course boss, I would never!" the cat pleaded.

"Then go." The Empress's posture relaxed. "I expect you to be back before the end of the day."

The cat could only nod, pocketing the money for now before also leaving the building.

Being alone, the Empress could only let out a sigh, pulling out a chair they rarely used, letting themselves sit for once.

The Snatcher. Everybody had at least heard the name in passing. They were a boogeyman. A story parents told their children. Most considered them just a fabricated explanation for why nobody ever left Subcon Forest. To most, the idea of some soul-devouring monster was absurd.

But the Empress knew the truth. They knew they existed. Too much evidence pointing towards it. But for that thing to be here, in their Metro, seemingly protecting a child? That was very, very odd, and went against practically everything they had heard about them. This needed to be looked into, as well as the identity of the child. They needed to prepare. If the child was still alive, it was likely revenge would be high on their list.

But how does one fight a spectral boogeyman? The Empress tapped the desk with a trio of claws in thought. They needed more information. Spies, even, if they could find some willing to try sneaking into Subcon. They could think of a few good candidates off the top of their head.

Regardless, they needed to spread word of such a thing to the rest of their crew. Keep eyes peeled for anything else lurking in the shadows. And most importantly, have a backup plan.

The Empress let out a sigh. They hated interesting times like these.

* * *

**Author's Note**

_And thus, we now have smol noodle to accompany big noodle._

_I'll probably try to keep most of these chapters on the more concise end unless I really get in a writing mood. This is more or less just a casual thing on the side. Not a big serious project, just something to dabble in. Like I mentioned before, i'll throw breadcrumbs for something more overarching, but i'm just writing this just to get some ideas out of my head and actually onto paper for once._

_While we might check in with the Empress from time to time, there's still going to be a lot in-between. I don't exactly have a bunch of chapters fully planned out, more or less just an outline in my head for some chapter and sub-plot ideas._

_Also, don't expect the next chapter the next day like this one. Just wanted to get this out to help solidify the idea of the story a bit more._


	3. Lessons

It was a touch chillier in the forest now, even if Hat Kid was beginning to get a bit used to the cold, lacking body heat and all. Thanks to the lesson from yesterday, they at least didn't need to touch the ground now, the little spirit hovering along Subcon's main road, looking up to Snatcher's looming tree in the distance.

They said they had more things to teach, to come back daily. Though really, they only went home to check on the spaceship. And Rumbi, of course. They scared the little robot silly with their new appearance. They would've come back sooner, but... It wasn't their fault the pillows were so comfy they fell asleep! Though they did thank Rumbi for their excellent job at fluffing the pile up.

Regardless, their thoughts shifted as they approached the tree, wondering what exactly Snatcher was interested in teaching them today. Though as they began to be able to see inside the tree properly, they noticed that the lord of the forest didn't seem to be inside. Hat Kid tilted their head slightly before heading inside.

"Snaaaatcherrrr! BFF?" Hat Kid called out. No response. The only thing Hat Kid could notice out of place was book left in Snatcher's chair, a bookmark left in the middle of it. Maybe someone entered the forest? Hat Kid thought out, looking to the book. She always did wonder where they got books their size. Maybe they were reading something interesting?

Hat Kid re-positioned the book, using the chair as a little table as they turned to the bookmarked page.

All they were greeted with was a pair of blank pages. The child narrowed their eyes in confusion, before the pages suddenly were highlighted in phantasmal fire, the Snatcher's grinning face appearing within the pages.

"**WHHHHYYYYY HELLOOOO THERE!**" The Snatcher spoke in their loud, intruder-deterring tone, startling Hat Kid as they visibly jumped from the startle.

"**HAHAHAHAHA, that never gets old!**" they continued as the book rattled, pages unfurling as the Snatcher's true form shifted from that of the oversized book. "**Don't you know not to snoop in other people's things, kid, we talked about this just yesterday!**"

"Sorry!" Hat Kid apologized. "You just weren't around, and you usually don't leave that kind of thing out and-" The Snatcher put a hand on Hat Kid's hat to calm them somewhat.

"**It's fine, kid. Just consider that another lesson. But this leads into today's actual lesson, too**." Snatcher started, quickly shifting into a perfect replica of Hat Kid. "**Shapeshifting! It's a useful tool, and it never fails to surprise people.**"

"I always thought that was just magic or somethin' similar." Hat Kid replied.

"**Nope, all natural, kiddo.**" Snatcher seemed to sniff the air with their newly formed nose for a moment, before covering their newly formed nose. "**Oh man, kid, you reek! Shit, I forgot to do the decoupling.**"

"Decoupling?" Hat Kid's head slightly shifted to the side.

"**Yeah, kid, decoupling. You've still got a corpse in that body of yours. We need to get it out it and give it a proper burial, because that is a horrific stench.**" Snatcher explained, shifting back into their standard shape.

"Do… Do I have to dig a grave for myself?" Hat Kid sounded quite nervous.

"**No, kid, that's what my minions are for. I've already sent the order out.**" Snatcher replied, patting the hatted ghost on the shoulder. "**Now, gonna' need you to lie down for this. Gimme a second…**"

Snatcher muttered something under their breath, waving a hand as the table from before reappeared with a flash of smoke. "**Hop on kid, we'll do this quick**."

Hat Kid slowly did so, facing still looking nervous. Snatcher simply donned their trademark grin in response. "**Relax kid, it's not that bad. Your body's just a husk now. Think of it like pimple you've gotta' pop.**"

"I-if it's just a husk or wha'ever… why does it need a proper burial?" Hat Kid asked.

Snatcher sighed. "**May as well explain while I do this. Something to distract you, since this is going to feel weird.**" Snatcher started, before they closed their eyes, putting their hands on Hat Kid's chest before they began to sink in.

They were right, it did feel really weird. And wrong. Was this illegal?

"**Right, if you decouple someone without giving the corpse a proper burial, sometimes that husk becomes… less than a husk. As in, it becomes it's own entity. Something that I guess you'd consider it as the person, but also very clearly not.**" the specter elaborated. "**You ever had those times where your body does thing you don't want it to? Like, your leg falling asleep, or involuntary twitches?**"

Hat Kid nodded with a "Mhmhm".

"**That's your body doing it's own thing. Mind and body sometimes don't agree. Combine that with magic left over from decoupling, and nothing in the body to stop it, and you have a whole new entity.**"

"Did this happen to you?" Hat Kid spoke, and Snatcher was quiet for a bit, their face looking a little nostalgic.

"**Yeah, kid. It did. My decoupling was kind of… violent, so it was to be expected. I only learned of them years later. A thing that called itself '**_**Moonjumper**_'**. Ridiculous name, I know.**" they spoke, reminiscing but still clearly focused on their work.

"Were they… bad?"

"**Hahaha, no, kid. They were honestly a softie. Too soft, really. Not a mean bone left in their body. They were just… weird**. **Really cryptic and weird. To be honest, I really don't know what happened to them.**" They casually replied, sounding slightly concerned towards the end.

"They just went 'poof'?" Hat Kid tried to imitate Snatcher's tone for the word.

Snatcher chuckled at the reference. "**Funny you mention that. Because Moonboy actually WAS the mailman who went poof. The entire thing was his idea**. **I just carried it on since the minions seemed to like it well enough.**"

Hat Kid felt a small pain inside themselves, cringing a little at it, which Snatcher quickly noticed. "**That's supposed to happen, just so you know. Anyways, I don't know what happened to him. He just vanished like a decade ago for no reason. Kept muttering something about a 'horizon' or something similar. Hell if I know.**"

Another sharp pain went through the child for a moment, breaking their line of thought for a moment.

"**Right, that should be the last one. Now, kid, do you want to see your body? It'll be the last time you can, so it's now or never.**" Snatcher asked.

Hat Kid's face twisted in nervous contemplation. Did they really want to see this? They were silent for a bit, before giving a shaky nod.

"**Alright kid, ready yourself.**" Snatcher spoke, raising the smaller spirit with an application of magic. Hat Kid looked downwards, only to find themselves staring wide-eyed at the horrific sight below.

Hat Kid's original body had paled considerably, any veins seen through the skin nearly pitch black, like tar. Their eyes were still and glassy, idly staring upwards into Subcon's treeline. Like before, the body was heavily disfigured. Honestly, if it wasn't for the clothing, they could barely even recognize it as themselves.

Hat Kid's shivered at the sight, closing their eyes to avert themselves from it for a moment.

"**This is why, kid. This is why nobody deserves this. Not even you.**" Snatcher replied, hoisting up the corpse with magic until a pair of minions came by to transport it, the two watching as the body disappeared into the dark of Subcon.

"I… i'm never gonna' be able to go home, are I?" Hat Kid looked up to Snatcher.

"**Not now, you won't. Unless you wanna' ostracize yourself from society." **Snatcher started. "**But don't say 'never'. I told you we can't fix the skin colour. No, we can't do that **_**permanently**_**, but we can do so temporarily. Enough to interact with others. Combine that with shapeshifting, and you can do it. But we need to work to that point, kiddo, since that's not a ghost thing, that's a magic thing.**" Snatcher explained.

"M-magic? You… would teach me magic?" Hat Kid looked quite hopeful at the soul-stealer's words.

"**One thing at a time, kid.**" Snatcher replied, the larger ghost hovering back towards the tree, their tail waving through the air akin to a snake before they planted themselves within their favorite chair, tail wrapping around the back.

"**Now, shapeshifting. Let's do a little recap to refresh." **Snatcher began, reclining a little further into the leather of the chair. "**Right, you remember my explanation for floating?**"

"It's, uh, will! Like, you use your very will to make yourself hover!" Hat Kid spoke with some excitement.

"**Correctamundo, kid. Your soul, or you, since that's what you are now, can exert it's will on the world through focus. If hovering is a way of focusing that will out, then shapeshifting is a way of focusing it inward. Essentially, think of you willing your own body to be something different. Let's try something simple first.**" Snatcher held out a claw, and with a little effort, the claws within their fingers shifted into proper human hands.

"**Let's try the reverse of that. Hold out your hand and focus. Imagine each of your fingers sharpening into points, ready to **_**rend**_ **whatever you need them to.**" Snatcher instructed.

Hat Kid did so, holding out a hand and focusing on it. They seemed to scrunch their face a bit when nothing was happening, resulting in Snatcher giving a chuckle.

"**Try imagining the end result first, kid. Stay relaxed, focusing too hard will probably just give you a headache.**" Snatcher added.

Imagine it? Maybe that could work. Something sharp. Like… knives? Hat Kid closed their eyes imagined their fingers as knives, like something out of the Conductor's fantasies, and gradually, they could feel them shifting, reshaping, remolding, their phantasmal flesh reknitting itself into sharpened forms.

On opening their eyes, in front of them lied an almost exact image of that they imagined, each of their fingers shifted into thin, sharp blades, their edges roiling in ethereal flame.

"**Knife hands, huh? Not exactly what I was thinking, but it's unique, at least. Though I think some movie did that before…**" Snatcher replied, becoming a little lost in thought. "**Anyways, try shifting it back. Same thing, just backwards.**"

Hat Kid nodded and did as they said, shutting their eyes again, the process undoing itself.

Snatcher watched with no small amount of interest. The kid was getting a hang of things fast. Maybe it was because they were a kid, rapidly learning new things was standard for their age, right? It made sense. But the rate they were progressing made their own look slug-like by comparison. They guessed by next week they could probably start learning how to properly fly or assume completely different shapes.

But while one part of themselves was wondering this, the other half was wondering why they were even bothering with this at all. They could just kick them out at any time. Swallow their ripened soul. They were so vulnerable. Were they becoming soft? This wasn't their usual M.O. Was it really just pity driving them to be like this?

The swirl of thoughts momentarily caused them to lose their normal smile, something which Hat Kid luckily didn't realize as they seemingly experimented around a bit with their hands. Snatcher shook the thoughts away for a time, their collar of fluff bristling for a moment before they refocused fully on the kid, smile back on their face.

"**Alright, kid. Seems like you've got a hang of the small stuff. Next is the more advanced forms of shapeshifting. Shifting what you already have is one thing, but now you've gotta' think about adding new parts. It's more than just imaging how something looks. You've got to think about how it might feel.**" Snatcher explained, sprouting a new claw on demand.

"How's tha' work?" Hat Kid gave another head tilt at the sight. "Isn't there stuff like, uh, conservation of mass?"

Snatcher squinted their eyes, giving a look of disbelief before slapping a palm to their face. "**...Kid, we're **_**ghosts**_**. There's no mass to even begin with. They teach that kind of thing to kids that young nowadays?**"

"I'm 9! They teach that kind of thing really early!" Hat Kid retorted.

"**Alien schooling needs to get it's priorities in order, is what you're saying.**" Snatcher spoke, internally baffled by the fact that they were only 9 for a large smorgasbord of reasons, which both made them saddened, angered, and impressed in equal quantities.

"**Anyways, kid, no, we're not bound by **_**conservation of mass**_**. We can grow or shrink as we want. It just requires more effort the bigger the change. The more you change, the more you have to think it out. A full shift, like my little book trick and impersonating you requires you to sort of… step into that thing's shoes, I guess is the best term.**" they continued, trying to find the right words to accurate describe the process. "**Again, let's start small. Try to create a new finger. Think about how it would feel to move, to flex and hold things with.**"

Hat Kid nodded, closing their eyes again. A new finger? How would that work? Where should they put it? How big should it be? A whirlwind of questions rattled off in their mind, slowly sorting them one by one, occasionally flexing their fingers as a test. But soon enough, another finger began to form. A second pinky finger, only a touch smaller than it's adjacent.

Snatcher idly extended the length of a hand, blunting a pair of claws as they wrenched one of Hat Kid's eyes open. The child jumped in response, which only lead to Snatcher's grin increasing in volume.

"**You've got it kid, you can stop.**" Snatcher spoke up. Hat Kid responded by blinking, before looking down to their hand, and more specifically, their new small appendage, which they experimentally waggled, a fanged smile growing on their face in response.

"It's nothing to write home about yet, but it's a good start." Snatcher continued. "**Consider your 'homework' to be to keep experimenting. Practice, practice, practice. And try doing it without closing your eyes. **"

Hat Kid's smile shrunk at the sound of homework, the child shifting into a small pout.

The Snatcher's eyes narrowed at this little display, their voice lowering into their serious tone.

"Kid. Listen. Do you want your legs back?" Snatcher spoke, their tone cold. Hat Kid could only nod. "**Then you **_**need**_ **to practice. I'm not forcing you, but if you want to walk around with your little meat sticks, that's what you have to do.** _**Got it**_**?**"

Hat Kid nodded rapidly, and the Snatcher's usual face jumped back into the forefront. "**Good! Now, i'll give you one more tip before I have to get back to managing my forest. Combine methods of shapeshifting together.**"

Hat Kid seemed a little confused until Snatcher moved the tip of their tail back into view. With a thought, they split it in twain, before molding it into a pair of basic legs, akin to a stick man.

Hat Kid couldn't help but stifle laughter at the sight. Snatcher rose a figurative eyebrow.

"**What?**" Snatcher threw their hands out a bit, not getting the humor.

That statement was the last straw as Hat Kid started laughing and laughing. "You-you look like a string-bean with legs!"

Snatcher just looked on as the kid tried to steady themselves on the side of the tree, Snatcher's face being somewhere between furious and confused as they reverted their tails.

"**Yes, yes, ha-ha, laugh at my expense as i'm trying to help you.**" Snatcher deadpanned. "**Are you done?**"

It took a few more second for Hat Kid to respond as they recovered from the sudden laugh attack. "I..ha..I think so."

"**Did you even remember the tip I was trying to give?**" Snatcher's eyes closed in on the child.

"Um… combine shapeshifting types?" Hat Kid spoke with no small amount of guesswork.

"**Yes. Try splitting already existing parts into a base you can shape with. It's easier than making new parts, but it requires the same methodology. If you want legs, that's the base you start from.**" Snatcher spoke before picking up the girl by the cape, dragging them in front of their face.

"**Now… _Buzz. Off._**" Snatcher spoke, readjusting their grip before they sent the alien flying out of the tree, the ground padding itself for their inevitable landing with a small application of magic, making their landing as soft as a pillow. Even if they were thrown a few hundred feet.

Snatcher cupped a claw to their ear, listening for the resounding impact of the child, giving a small chuckle at the sound as they could finally relax again. Mostly. Maybe that exit was a little rough, even with padded ground? There was a second or two of doubt before they remembered it that they were just trying to humiliate them, their grin curling upwards even further than usual.

Meanwhile, Hat Kid was picking themselves off the dirt, brushing off their phantasmal self. Maybe that was quite rude of them to laugh like that. At least they finished their tip. They could barely remember it after that. Honestly, the whole session went a lot better than they expected. They expected more pain. And Snatcher laughing at a stream of constant misfortune. Maybe they really are a softie. All they have to do is figure out how to bring out that side more.

They adjusted their hat, straightening it out. And as they did, an idea popped into their head. Yes… maybe that could work.

And thus, the little ghost floated off into the forest, a smile growing on their face as they knew exactly how to get the Snatcher to open up.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Well, that's another chapter down. More of an explanations chapter than anything else. I love to look into the mechanics of stuff like this, figuring out how it works. It's fun to write for, and you should expect a lot of it throughout the story._

_As for stuff like Moonjumper, don't expect them to pop up anytime soon. I do have an idea for him, but that's WAAAAAY down the line. And probably will be quite different than one might expect._

_Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and I do thank many of you for leaving reviews. They are one of my main drives for continuing to write stories like this._


	4. Sub-Zero

Deep within the frozen sections of the forest, a floorboard creaked. A shadow of royalty stalked through their home. Constant mumbles echoed off the abandoned rooms as they approached a window.

Blindingly bright ruby eyes looked down to the blizzard-stricken land below. Lifeless, just like them. Just as life has always been without their Prince. And yet they couldn't escape this. They couldn't leave, for that _thing _restrained them here. The one who sounded like him. The one who took him away, who claimed that the land she owned was his! Did they not know who she was?!

She was royalty! The rightful queen of this place, yet they heeded to that shadow? It infuriated them, jealousy consuming their thoughts. And the queen knew they were up to something with their woods. They could feel the weave of magic fluctuate days ago. They were further warping their land, twisting it into even more of a mockery than it already was.

Their claws shook as rage overcame them. They needed to reaffirm their place. Perhaps now would be a good time for a walk.

* * *

Subcon Village, despite the reputation of the forest surrounding it, was an quite peaceful place. Spirits of all kinds lingered here, the forest itself almost acting as a magnet, as numerous of it's denizens come from nowhere near Subcon.

To Hat Kid, it was their favorite place in the forest aside from the top of Snatcher's tree. Despite the spirits, there was a certain liveliness in air, something they reveled in as they planted themselves on the edge of the refilled river, dipping their ghostly tail into the cool water as they pulled things from their pack. More specifically, numerous balls of yarn, and the tools to create things with them.

They worked for a time until they noticed a few of the Snatcher's cycloptic minions approach, their movements indicating curiosity, though they didn't disturb their work until they were right next to the child.

"What'cha doin' there, newbie?" one of the minions spoke up.

Hat Kid gave a beaming smile in response. "I'm making Snatcher a gift for helping me so much!"

The minions seemed to look with an even more intense curiosity at the statement. "_Gift, huh? Lots of us have tried that before._"

"_Didn't end well._" another finished.

Hat Kid looked a little grumpily towards them. "Not gonna' stop me. They deserve it. But, is that why there are some of you… hanging around?"

"_Nah, newbie, that's just punishment for misbehaving._" the middle minion replied.

"_Or if he's mad._" the leftmost continued.

"_Or if they just feel like it._" the rightmost added just before Hat Kid was going to respond.

"Does it… hurt?" Hat Kid asked, even as their fingers kept weaving near unconsciously.

"_Nah. They just leave us up for a day or two. It's just…_"

"_Boring._"

"_Don't have much to do other than think about what you've done._"

Hat Kid seemed a little saddened by that. "Sounds mean for no reason."

"_That's just how the boss is sometimes._"

"_We still like him, though._"

"_He gave us lives back. We can never fully repay him for that._"

"Lives back?" Hat Kid's head slightly tilted.

"_We were all Dwellers once, you know._"

"_Echoes of the past. Most of us didn't even know who we were._"

"_Or why we lingered._"

"_The boss changed that._"

"_He gave us physical forms again._"

"_Linked us all together._"

"_Made us whole again._"

"So all of you are linked together… mentally?" Hat Kid asked with a slight tilt of their head.

All three minions nodded simultaneously. "_Apart, we were barely people. Fragments._"

"_Disjointed, missing skills, memories, and even emotions._"

"_But together, we reforged ourselves._"

"_We couldn't remake who we were…_"

"_So we made something new from what was left!_" the middle minion exclaimed.

Hat Kid seemed a bit confused. "If you did it like that, then are you all the same person?"

"_Yes…_"

"_And no._" the middle minion finished. "_We all can share skills and thoughts and the like, but we can also do things on our own._"

"_Think of it like a mold for a sandcastle or somethin'. It's a starting point, but each of us can be different because of our own experiences._" the leftmost continued.

"If you are all different people, how does anyone tell you apart?" Hat Kid inquired.

"_Well, we just sorta… know. Like instinctively._" Left replied.

"_Plus, the boss doesn't care. A body is a body to them._" Right added in.

Hat Kid was silent for a few seconds, before a smile came on their face. "I think I know what to do to fix that!"

The minions seemed confused at that statement before the kid put down their creation in their lap for a moment, pulling out a trio of simple hats, tossing them to each of the minions.

"Identifying hats!" Hat Kid exclaimed with joy.

"_Do you just carry around a closet full of hats wherever you go?_" the middle minion narrowed their eye for a moment.

Hat Kid only nodded, increasing the trio's confusion before they donned the hats at the kid's nudging.

"Why wouldn't I carry around a closet of hats? They're trendy and comfy!" Hat Kid replied. "It's why i'm making one for Snatcher! He looked nice in my hat, but it was too small for them. So i'll make him one that can adjust!"

The three minions didn't seem entirely for the idea, with their confused stares, but they didn't seem against it either. "_Good luck with that, kid._"

"Um, actually, before you guys go off to do… uh, minion stuff, can I ask a question?" Hat Kid asked a little nervously.

"_Sure, kid! We don't have much to do anyways._" the leftmost asked, though Hat Kid internally shifted their 'name' to be Bowler, to match the hat they gave.

"_Um, if you all lost your memories and stuff when you became, uh, spooky, why do I still remember everythin'?_" Hat Kid pondered.

"_Oh, that's simple, newbie. You're not a Dweller. There's all kinds of ghosts, you know._" The Boater hat donned minion in the middle explained.

"_Wraiths, Banshees, Revenants, Poltergeists, Yaoguai, Shinigami, there's tons of kinds!_" the last of the three continued, now wearing a Boonie hat.

"So wha' kind am I, then?" Hat Kid seemed a little lost.

"_You're honestly a weird case, newbie._" Boater started. "_Since you're artificial. Most ghosts form just from bad experiences or bad luck._"

"_Really, kid, you're kind of a category all of your own._" Bowler added. "_Artificial ghosts are super rare. You're the first we've seen in the forest. Honestly, I didn't even know boss could do something like that._"

"_Though I guess you're like part vengeful spirit, like the boss, 'cause of how that ritual went._" Boonie finished.

"Wai', part vengeful spirit? What did Snatcher exactly do?" Hat Kid's curiosity grew at their words.

"_He infused part of his very being into you. He did similar with us. it's why we have such a strong connection to him!_" Bowler elaborated.

Hat Kid's eyes widened for a moment before a very confused look came on their face. "Does… does that mean Snatcher's kind of my dad now?"

A moment of confusion appeared within the trio as their cycloptic gaze tilted before all three's eyes widened at once.

"_Um, probably?_" Bowler spoke nervously. "_Like, they did put quite a bit in you. It's why you look so similar._"

Hat Kid looked surprisingly happy at the statement and all three could easily figure why.

"_Boss is gonna' flay us for telling them this, aren't they?_" Boonie spoke to the others internally.

"_Oh, assuredly. But the look on his face will probably be worth it._" Boater replied.

Bowler simply sighed as the fanged smile grew more. "_Right kid, is tha-_"

All three minions suddenly stilled.

Hat Kid's smile faded at the sight, eyes narrowing. "Um, guys, are you-"

"_Newbie_." Bowler put a hand on the kid's shoulder as their voice shifted, becoming colder. "_You need to_ _run_. _**Now**_."

"Wha- What's going on?" Hat Kid put away their WIP creation, 'standing' up to match the height of the minions, if a little taller due to their floating.

"_**She**_ _is coming here_." Boonie spoke, fear slightly creeping in. "_The Queen_."

Hat Kid's eyes widened as memories of their previous encounter surfaced. "She leaves that place?!"

"Yes, and you need to go, now!" Boater pressed.

Hat Kid looked to seriously contemplate it for a moment before their face narrowed. "No."

"_No?! Kid, that thing is one of the few that could actually __end us__. Freeze our very souls._" Bowler sounded more than a little panicked.

"All the more reason to help!" Hat Kid retorted. "I'm not leaving you alone to face that lady!"

"_We'll be fine, newbie, we've ton this a million times before. You can't fight them, trust me, we've tried. Boss is the only one who might be able to put a dent in them, and usually all they can do is drive them away._" Boonie explained.

"What about the potions?" Hat Kid shot back. All they got were blank looks, leading them to sigh. "You know, the potions I used to hurt Snatcher back when we fought?"

The three seemed to pause for a moment. "_Kid, that… boss couldn't even figure how that exactly worked._"

"But it's something to try, right?" Hat Kid rebutted. "Is there any reason it wouldn't work?"

"_Well, no, but.._" Hat Kid cut Bowler off, pulling out a Witches's hat.

"I need a sample of that mixture ASAP. Can you get me one before the Queen gets here?" Hat Kid's voice seemed a bit different from before. Focused, determined.

"_Yes._" Boonie replied swiftly. "_Already got one of the others with it._"

"Alright then. I've got an idea, but you've gotta' listen carefully, right?" Hat Kid spoke with a more commanding tone. It reminded the three eerily of the Snatcher, and all three nodded as the child spoke.

That was when the three realized they weren't speaking to just some nine year old, one who moments ago just wanted to make hats for the boogeyman. No, the one speaking now was the kid who took down the Mafia's leadership in front of their entire crew. The one who stopped a maddened Conductor on his own stage, the one who used a loophole to beat their own boss, the one who saved the world.

The one who should've died long before they did, and even in death, they still maintained what made them so hard to kill in the first place. And even in the face of true death, the minions could feel a touch of hope.

* * *

Snowfall touched the forest ground. A herald, the earliest warning signs of the mad queen's approach.

Her steps were measured, calm. The chasm before them momentarily stopped their stride. Such a paltry attempt. With a single wave of their hand, ice rocketed outward from the stone beneath them, a bridge of ice filling the gap, the shadowy figure crossing it without effort.

They could still feel remnants of that magic. It seemed to lie in the direction of that little hovel of a village that thing had set up. Their footfalls quickened somewhat. They knew that the creature's little familiars had already likely alerted it to their presence. The ice trailed behind them as they moved along the curving paths of the forest. Even out here, the air spoke of nothing but death, her gaze wandering up to the countless blackened stalks that made up the forest.

They remembered how it was before their love betrayed them. They remembered the green pastures, the lake, crystal clear, the woods, soft and calming. Now it was nothing. A grave, filled with wretched spirits that wished for nothing more than to continue to tarnish Subcon's memory.

Her body shuddered with rage as she quickened further, glowing orbs alight with enough rage to quell the sun's light. They would end it **all**. There was no other choice in the matter.

Thus, they approached the makeshift village's borders, the town's residents already fled as a heavy feeling coated the town. The air seemed thicker, harder to breath for anyone living, but still suffocating even for the dead. Their icy presence spread wherever they looked. Whole stumps coating themselves in ice, bridges buckling as they were flash frozen.

The remnant was here. The Queen could feel it clearer now, but exactly where still was out of their reach. They moved further, freezing the well's river as they crossed over it.

And then, suddenly, their head was assailed as a projectile of glass and liquid contacted them.

Their eyes shot up, only to find the form of Hat Kid glaring down on them from the bridges above as they pulled out another potion.

"You." The Queen started with a rasp in their voice. "The one who dared to enter **MY** home, steal **MY** property, and then broke **MY** attic's window!?"

Vanessa rose an arm, clutching a hand closed before shooting it out, a spike of ice careening towards the ghostly girl. A simple float to the side prevented any damage before another potion careened into the queen's crooked form, further coating them in blue. They could feel glass dig into their skin, and it was then they realized that they could actually feel that.

"**WHAT DID YOU DO?!**" Vanessa screeched before shooting out another pair of spikes. The hatted child dove away, boosting themselves off the ground to get an extra boost of forward momentum. Vanessa rose an arm, a lance of ice thrusting up from the ground to impede the child's path. But utilizing their newfound floating, they merely rolled in the air to evade it, the Queen sending up more and more as they went along.

"You think you're _so clever_. You think you can stop _royalty_?! This is **MY** forest, it was always **MINE**, and some little _brat_ isn't going to stop me!" Vanessa's voice echoed off the trees, Hat Kid's vision narrowing as the Queen approached. Even with the Queen below them, Hat Kid could feel her vision blurring, as if walls were closing in. The roaring noise her aura produced, the disorienting way vision flickered in and out, it made moving away far more difficult.

Vanessa shot both arms upward, willing a great wall of ice into reality, instantaneously freezing the air with a thought as Hat Kid's escape was cut off as Vanessa's ice allowed the queen to rise to their level.

Hat Kid pressed themselves against the wall, only a little fear showing on their face as the Queen approached.

"I'd feel pity for you becoming something like this if I didn't know how utterly disrespectful you were before you died." The Queen sneered. "Now, join my collection!"

"Now!" Hat Kid called up, the Queen narrowing an eye at the statement before out of the treeline appeared countless Minions. Bottles upon bottles of potion were hurled at the Queen from all sources. Some used their own hands, others used slingshots or even tipped them at the end of crossbows.

The Queen was assailed by blue potion and glass from all angles, the monarch pawing frantically at their face as they emitted sounds of disbelief and rage.

Hat Kid had an opportunity, and they weren't going to let it pass. They flickered their mind back, remembering Snatcher's words. Combine shapeshifting forms. Picture the functions in their mind. With a little thought and closing their eyes for a moment, their tails split in twain. Vanessa was still busy, haphazardly firing streams of ice into the treeline.

Thus, Hat Kid focused. Remembering the past. The feel of their legs, the agility they brought, exactly where everything was, and the two tails shaped themselves, forming joints and pants and shoes. Soon enough, they had a pair of feet beneath them, dropping themselves to the ground as the Queen began to recover.

Hat Kid quickly turned to the ice wall, clambering up it and kicking themselves off of it for a boost, before their body rocketed into the Queen's from above, knocking them back into the stump behind them.

As Hat Kid bounced into the air from the attack, they noted a dweller above them, dangling their tail like a hook. Their hookshot went out, allowing themselves to catapult even further into the air, the kid holding down a trigger on the umbrella's handle as they reoriented themselves.

The Queen turned towards them, only for the alien to blast off a large beam of energy into the shadowy figure.

Vanessa wailed, shifting into a roar as invisible teeth grit themselves.

"ENOUGH!" Vanessa yelled, both arms shooting up as a great wall of ice blocked the minion's sightlines from the trees.

Hat Kid landed with a roll, rapidly switching out their brewing hat for their Sprint Hat, conjuring a scooter to quickly get distance between themselves and the raging lady of the manor.

Vanessa seemed to move even faster in response, raising further and further spikes, bridges becoming unusable as the snow above thickened into a blizzard.

"This game has gone on for TOO LONG!" Vanessa spoke, before they vanished into the mist of the blizzard.

Hat Kid didn't even realize this before they re-materialized right in front of them, a clawed hand stopping their momentum flat as it gripped around their neck.

"You're MINE." Vanessa growled as ice began to spread from their shadowy fingers. Hat Kid helplessly tried to struggle against it as their windpipe froze.

They spit in Vanessa's near invisible face, causing her to wretch in disgust as they wiped it off. Helpless, again.

Dead, again.

They would've been, if a large phantasmal fist didn't collide into Vanessa's side, sending them to the ground below and for Hat Kid to cough, even if they didn't need to breathe.

A shadow was cast over them, their eyes looking upward to find the Snatcher's tall form. It lacked their usual smile. Instead, it was one that flickered with rage and hatred in equal measure.

"Sn...atcher?" Hat Kid managed to get out, before Snatcher rose a hand towards them.

"**Shush, kid. Unless you want your neck to snap apart.**" Snatcher spoke with a disquieting calm, barely looking in their direction as a pair of minions gripped the child's shoulders, hoisting them up.

"_We gotta' move, newbie. Boss'll take it from here._" one of the minions spoke, and they merely nodded as they were moved away, leaving the Snatcher and Vanessa alone, the Queen standing up as the two glared at one another.

"**Vanessa.**" Snatcher's words were quiet. His eyes narrowed further. "**You call yourself a queen, yet you do ****THIS****?!**"

He gestured to the immense amount of damage around the town. It would take weeks to fully repair and melt the ice.

"This place is already **DEAD**, you wretched shadow!" Vanessa retorted. "All i'm doing is finally giving peace to the damned!"

"**They chose to linger, you bitch! All they want is peace, and that's what I give them until YOU keep barging in!" **The ruler of the forest countered.

"**This is the LAST time you breach into MY forest, Vanessa.**" Snatcher growled, phantasmal fire flaring up around their person as their mouth curled into a visage of rage.

"And this is the last time you'll be able to call this place such!" Vanessa shot back, positioning themselves for battle.

Both of their magics intermingled, and the two launched into battle. Hat Kid watched from the Village's border as the minions tended to their ice-coated parts, summoning small flashes of flame to melt it piece by piece. Nearly their entire chest was covered, but they were lucky they couldn't feel it, nor the flames.

"_You did good, newbie. Softened 'em up for the boss._" Bowler reassured the child, who barely listened as they watched the two shadows of the forest battle.

Vanessa launched storms of icicles, walls of spikes rising to impede the current ruler's path. Snatcher countered with pillars of energy, beams of plasma erupting from numerous hands they sprouted and retracted along their snake-like form as they weaved around the pillars in erratic patterns, closing the distance between the two in seconds.

Vanessa launched a hand out, streams of enchanted ice looking to extinguish Snatcher's beams. But for every hit that landed on the Snatcher, they were dealing considerably less damage than the vengeful spirit was.

Flame billowed off their shadow-wreathed form, their ice magic dulling it, but still burning through them slowly but surely. Even their crown began to be overcome by heat, one of it's crooked points bending before Vanessa rose a great wall between the two before the Queen forced it forward at high speeds. Snatcher was forced to take it, sending the ghost hurtling backwards, though luckily able to catch themselves in mid-air.

The winds only increased, visibility decreasing to practically zero for a few moments, and then, the Queen was gone.

"**You cowardly BITCH!**" Snatcher yelled, quickly snaking through the air to their last position. "**Get BACK HERE!**"

She was already gone, they knew it. Snatcher shook slightly. Tightening their hands before unleashing numerous pillars of energy around themselves as they yelled, releasing their anger, but being careful not to cause further damage.

It took Snatcher a few minutes to calm themselves, Hat Kid watching with worry as the minions finished removing the ice safely.

"I know you wanna' talk to them, newbie, but… it's rare they ever get this mad. Like, really, really rare. Be careful." Boonie suggested. Hat Kid gave a silent nod before they approached the Snatcher, who 'sat' at the river's edge. They gave no reaction to the alien's approach, so Hat Kid sat next to them as the boogeyman of the haunted wood rubbed their forehead with a hand.

"**Kid, that was incredibly reckless and stupid.**" Snatcher finally spoke. "**You nearly killed yourself. **_**Again.**_"

"I know. I wanted to help." The child pleaded.

The larger phantom let out a sigh. "**You did. Don't get me wrong, you really did. I haven't beaten them that hard in… well, ever. But that doesn't mean you can't run in there thinking this is like any other fight. One good grab, and you're done.**"

"Wasn't it the same with your pillars?" Hat Kid questioned.

"**Would you prefer simple disintegration, or imprisonment for eternity?**" Snatcher looked down to them finally. "**Point is, it was too risky.**"

"You sound like a dad." Hat Kid replied.

Snatcher stopped themselves for a moment on hearing that. A father? Memories surged forth, and they seemed to slump further. "**I was going to be one, once.**"

Hat Kid looked oddly at them until they remembered the manor. The room with the crib. "Oh."

"**She ruined so much. Even her own status. She was going to be coronated as queen, but she killed everybody the day previous.**" they reminisced. "**Now she continues to ruin things to this day.**"

"Well, they didn't ruin everything." Hat Kid added, Snatcher looking to them curiously as they spoke. "You wouldn't be here if they didn't, right? I would've never met you. I would be really dead… twice, actually."

The Snatcher stayed quiet for a bit, looking to the half-frozen water below, their face resting in contemplation. "**You're not wrong, I guess.**"

"N' you said you were going to be a parent once, what's stopping you from making that a reality?" Hat Kid suggested.

"**Dead, remember? Even if I had the parts for such, not exactly a plethora of romantic partners around here.**" Snatcher nearly laughed at the suggestion.

"Who says you need a partner or parts?" Hat Kid started, giving a big smile as they stood up, pointing to themselves. "You have me!"

Snatcher looked a little flabbergasted at that, giving a somewhat nervous looking smile. "**Uh, kid, are you saying you want to be adopted or somethin'?**"

"Well, I mean, kinda, but that's not what i'm referrin' to!" Hat Kid looked up to them with a slightly frustrated look. "You saved me a ton of times now, n' you put part of yourself into me, right?"

"_**Who**_ **told you that?**" Snatcher looked less than pleased at that statement, but Hat Kid shook their head.

"That's besides the point, is it true?" Hat Kid pressed.

Snatcher released a breath. "**Yes, it was part of the process.**"

"Sooooo, since we're just souls n' stuff, that means we're related!" Hat Kid spoke loudly with no small amount of cheer.

"**That's not-... ugh, I wish **_**SOME PEOPLE**_…" Snatcher glared backwards to the minions, who did their best to look innocent. "**...Didn't blab out things that should stay private.**"

"That's not a denial~" Hat Kid nearly sang with the sentence, leaving Snatcher to attach a palm to their face rapidly.

"_**Later**_**, kid. I have enough on my plate already and little room to think about anything like 'family'.**" Snatcher deflected.

"But you'll think on it later, right~?" Hat Kid gave a smile, and they could swear they could see Snatcher rolling their eyes again.

"**Yes, but Vanessa first. She's wounded, and this might be one of the few chances I have to end her for good. I need to prepare to get into her manor.**" Snatcher replied.

"Then let me come with!" Hat Kid added as Snatcher rose. They sharply looked to the kid at the sentence, frowning.

"_**No.**_" Snatcher started. "**Kid, you needed me to save you AGAIN after doing a skirmish with them. Are you **_**sure**_ **you're not a masochist, pipsqueak?**"

"I just wanna' help! I don't want you to fight them all alone! That manor's not a good place." Hat Kid's worry creeped in.

Snatcher glared at them, but Hat Kid only returned a set of puppy-dog eyes. Finally, Snatcher relented, conjuring a contract with their will. "**Alright, If you want to help so badly, then I have a job for you.**"

They lowered the contract to the kid's level, who's eyes blazed through the text.

* * *

_**Contract: Take the Collection**_

_**Goals**__: Get Vanessa's statues out of the manor in one piece. [ ]_

_Don't Get in Snatcher's Way. [ ]_

_Don't become part of the collection. [ ]_

_All Hats allowed, I don't care._

_I'll be holding the following hostage: Nothing_

_...But keep anything you find along the way!_

_Signed: __ _*_

* * *

Hat Kid looked up to Snatcher with a confused expression.

"Most of the people in the statues are dead, and should probably be put to rest. Or given to family members so they can do so." Snatcher explained. Hat Kid's look increased in confusion at the last part.

"**What? I'm not **_**that**_ **sadistic! Again, I prefer clean kills. This is very much the opposite. They deserve better.**" Snatcher crossed their arms as they spoke. "**Right, is that a deal?**"

"Don't you usually give out rewards for this stuff?" Hat Kid leaned over the contract a bit.

"**You **_**wanted**_ **to help, kid. It's this or nothing. Now, accept it or don't.**" Snatcher's voice echoed with impatience.

Hat Kid grumbled for a bit, but relented, signing in their alien language.

"**Good. Now, go prepare yourself. We've got time, my minions need to set up some things.**" Snatcher spoke in a more authoritative tone.

"Okaaay." Hat Kid sounded a little bummed, but the little alien finally went away.

When they were finally out of earshot, Snatcher sighed once more. They still didn't understand that kid at all. Aliens were weirdos.

And said weirdo wanted them to be a dad? Them, the soul snatching boogeyman of Subcon Forest, the most feared being on the planet? The fuck? Part of their mind screamed at them again just to remove them. But their more logical side saw merit. Their minions were kind of like that already in terms of a relationship. He managed them, he punished them when needed, taught them when needed.

And someone as capable as her could be quite the useful minion. They saw part of that fight with the ice bitch. The trap with their minions was actually not that bad. Definitely needed work, but it wasn't terrible. Maybe they could be a second in command of sorts? And yet an even deeper part though about the actual implications of a familial relationship. Part of them almost actually wanted it sincerely.

Almost. Ugh, emotions were horrible. They preferred rage, hatred and annoyance, not confusion, or indecisiveness, or… protectiveness? They knew that they honestly did feel a bit protective of the brat. Exactly why, though was still a mystery to them. But all this thinking was for later. They had a manor to siege, a rivalry to end.

And the thought of that made the Snatcher smile.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Well, that's quite a chapter. Sorry for the wait, it wasn't just the length slowing me down, but also the fact that I rewrote the chapter halfway through. Thus, we have the introduction of Vanessa, a more proper intro to the minions, and some fight scenes, which are a favorite of mine. Though I more prefer close-quarters stuff, this was enjoyable too._

_Also, might as well add some extra notes for stuff I didn't get around to or describe more thoroughly._

_Brewing Hat: Doesn't just make explosive vials. Rather, it can be used to conjure vials of any kind of liquid chemical the user desires. It's just that before this, Hat Kid only knew the explosive recipe. You need to have a sample to actually have it be reproduced._

_Sprint Hat: Small note, but Hat Kid usually uses the Bow version of this, so it's not really a hat. Some of her other hats also use flairs. Most notably Dweller's (Pink Mask), Ice (Night Cap with Ears), and the Time Stop (Headphones)._

_Minions: Essentially, think a loose hive mind of sorts for these fellows, if it wasn't clear enough. They can share vision, knowledge, skills, all sorts of things. All of them possess light magical capability. Nothing compared to Snatcher, but useful small spells and cantrips. The Snatcher isn't directly connected to them, but he can send messages to any of them._

_If there's any other questions on how anything works, just ask, i'd be more than happy to see if I can't work something like that in._

_And once again, thank you for all the reviews. Honestly, I'm amazed there's so many, since even the few works i'm proud of have way less, especially at the point the story is at._


	5. Ice and Dark

Deep within the great dome, a shadow hobbled. Shadows seemed to drip to the floor, invisible perforations and burns all over their body.

No, no, NO! It wasn't meant to be this way, it never was! That shadow that plagued their existence was supposed to lose, they had prepared, they had trained, yet it wasn't enough!?

They stumbled into their bedroom, gripping onto the bed's support to keep themselves aloft.

They needed more. More. More more more more MORE _MORE_ _**MORE**_ _**MORE**_. More magic, more power, more reach, more size, more **EVERYTHING**.

Emotion consumed them as their clawed hand crushed the support and shadows expanded around them, layers of it sloughing off their person. Pain shot through their system as things twisted and shifted, but all they could see was red. Their 'skin' bubbled, ancient bones snapping and contorting. The Queen screeched in agony, even their voice shifting, echoing, overlapping.

And deep within that great dome, it's only denizen shed their humanity entirely. And Subcon responded with a shudder.

* * *

The frozen village was somewhere the Snatcher hated to be anywhere near. Yet here they were, watching as their minions parted the numerous walls put up long ago. They watched without a smile. They knew that even injured as the Queen was, it was still going to be a tough battle.

They simply watched in silence until small footsteps could be heard behind them.

"**Should switch to the tail, kiddo. Feet are far louder.**" Snatcher idly suggested, glancing down the kiddo in question.

They had seemingly adorned themselves in a little coat, seemingly to ward off the cold somewhat. A knitted cap with ears sat upon their head as they looked to the Snatcher and the scene in front of them, watching as numerous minions tentatively aimed towards the passage to the manor, crossbows in hand.

"Right." Hat Kid finally spoke with a bit of a delay as they took everything in. Their eyes closed, and two legs shifted into a singular tail.

"**Getting faster. Not bad.**" Snatcher commented.

"Thanks! I was using most of my time to practice!" Hat Kid looked a little proud at Snatcher's comment. "So, um, are those prep things ready?"

"**Nearly. Vanessa's been sending some of those headless statues of hers to pester us. It's why my minions are armed with explosive bolts.**" Snatcher casually explained. "**At the rate she's been sending them, she'll run out very soon.**"

"Those things give me the heebie jeebies." Hat Kid replied.

"**It's less scary when you've been dealing with them on and off for numerous centuries.**" Snatcher spoke as the minions finally displaced the final obstacles in the path, Snatcher's smile growing slightly.

"Looks like the labor's finally done. Now for the-" Snatcher's comment was interrupted by the sound of a large, resounding crack. The elder ghost's eyes widened as they realized what it was, as the great dome above began to show great cracks within it's form.

"Wh-what's happening?" Hat Kid spoke nervously.

"**The manor's magical barrier just cracked. I put it up to keep her magic restrained. If the dome just received enough force to crack the physical ice barrier, that would assuredly affect the magical one.**" the vengeful spirit grimaced.

"Magic restrained?" Hat Kid seemed a little confused. "She seemed able to square up with you just fine back in the village?"

"**No, kid, you misunderstand. Did you notice that when she came out here, it started snowing?**" Snatcher started, Hat Kid's eyes lighting up a little more as she figured out their meaning.

"So she brings snow wherever she goes?"

Snatcher nodded. "**First few years, it was always snowing. It's why the trees are all dead. They weren't used to the constant, extreme cold. It was only when I got enough magical know-how to create the barrier. Doesn't stop it completely, more like muffling something. I put a lot of magic into that barrier. If it cracked, then something in there just emitted enough magical power to do it.**"

"Vanessa, then? Somethin' happened to her?" Hat Kid theorized.

She was wounded, there was no… way…. No. Snatcher's features stilled, their eyes shrinking slightly as a wave of fear washed over their features before fading. "**We need to push in. Now.**"

"Is something-" Hat Kid's question was quieted with a raised finger from Snatcher.

"**It doesn't matter to you. I'm going to give you some minions to help with your job. Stick to the plan, and we'll be fine. Understood?**" Snatcher's voice was far more serious now, thus Hat Kid quickly nodded in response.

"**Good. Now, we move.**" Snatcher spoke, and on that order, the minions began to move in cautiously.

The wind blowing from inside the dome increased in intensity as they moved through the corridor of ice. Snatcher waved a hand, and a veil arose in front of the group, diverting the wind over them.

As they approached the interior of the dome, all in attendance stood for a moment as they stared at the manor.

It had changed. Tendrils of ice and shadow snaked up the sides of the building, the entire first floor's walls coated in a layer of ice and snow that slowly but surely crept upward. Further tendrils grew all around the manor's base, visibly snaking in and out of the snow, and numerous visible beneath the frozen lake.

The lit windows had gone out, glass frosted and beginning to crack.

The great dome above already had a hole, but now it sported a great gash that ran over almost the entire top, further smaller fractures moving outward like a spiderweb. The tendrils of ice from the manor itself seemed to be reaching upward towards the dome's top, akin to a plant growing towards light. Each tendril seemed to leak shadow, the dark substance writhing within it's clear prison.

Snatcher looked down to their minions, face mostly blank.

"**Tell me, are there any of those irritating Fire Spirits still around?**" Snatcher asked.

"_I think a few were seen around the outskirts, boss._" one of the cyclopses responded.

"**Good. I want some of you to round as up as many of them as you can find, and see if they can do anything about these spreading tendrils. Just give 'em some paintings as payment, I don't care.**" Snatcher ordered.

"_On it, sir!_" the minion replied with a small salute, a few from the group breaking off to assist with getting fire spirits.

"**Alright kid. This is where we split.**" Snatcher looked over to the child. "**I'm sending you and three minions here to get in and get those statues. Use the basement path.**"

"Alright. Wha' about you?" Hat Kid asked with a tinge of worry.

"**Oh, my path's simple.**" Snatcher focused power in their palms for a moment, taking aim before launching a near invisible blast towards the front doors, only seen because of the distortion of the snowfall.

On impact, the doors flew backwards off their hinges, landing on the floor with a clatter.

"**Now, kid. **_**Move**_**.**" Snatcher spoke with some force, and they simply nodded and floated to the side of the house in response, a trio of minions following behind. Snatcher grabbed one by the shoulder befoe they could move out of arm's reach, however. The minion turned, only to find their boss directly in their face.

"**Keep them safe. If I see a scratch…**" Snatcher spoke low, only just audible over the wind.

The minion nearly chuckled, holding it back barely. "_You don't need to worry about that, boss. They're a friend!_"

"**Good. Now let's get this over with. The rest of you, hold here. If the bitch has any tricks up their sleeves, don't you even hesitate to inform me.**" Snatcher ordered, and a series of nods and salutes responded to those orders.

"**Excellent. Now, let's end this feud for good.**" Snatcher spoke, half to their minions, half to themselves, steeling themselves as they knew what was going to be ahead was messy. Far, far messier than it should've been.

And without a further word, the Snatcher slinked into the manor, fire in their eyes as they moved upwards into the frozen floors above.

* * *

The four spirits made their way around the back, stopping at the entrance to the basement. Tendrils flowed out of it, growing upward along the manor's outer wall, but there was still definitely enough room to move in. But they didn't stop for that reason, rather, it was the hatted child digging within their coat.

"Identifying hats!" was the one reason they gave for stopping, and the three minions found hats being placed atop their singular eye.

One now wore a Gatsby, another sported a Panama, and the final adjusted their new Homburg. The three were still confused at the offering, mostly on where exactly they stored so many hats at.

Regardless, the four went down into the basement, Hat Kid staring wide-eyed at the large changes that had gone on down here. The water had frozen, the air filled with a light mist that added an even spookier vibe into the mansion's already gloomy interior.

The minions trailed behind them, eyes gazing, looking for the smallest sign of things going wrong. They reached the staircase quite quickly, ending up in the first floor's hallway.

"I dunno why they just didn't have us go through the front door there." Hat Kid spoke, her umbrella pointing towards the door that billowed wind inside.

"_Probably wanted to make sure it was clear before we entered, newbie._" Panama replied, speaking in a quiet tone.

"_Don't wanna' get frozen by surprise traps or ambushes._" Homburg added, scanning the hallway. "_Oh hey, there's the first statue._"

Said statue was fairly small compared to a person, about the size of a medium-sized dog. A curious creature, with four legs and what seemed to be a layer of leaf-like fuzz that coated most of it's torso.

"Not a person?" Hat Kid seemed confused at that. They barely noticed the statue before, given Vanessa's sudden appearance the first time they were within the manor.

"_Is a bushcat, kid._" Gatsby explained. "_Old species._"

"_Extinct species._" Homburg finished. "_I think this was was the boss's, once._"

"Oh." Hat Kid looked a little melancholy at that.

"_Nothin' a little necromancy can't fix. I bet the boss would love it if we brought 'em back._" Panama spoke to brighten the mood. "_Anyways, we gotta' do this carefully. Don't wanna' damage the body accidently._"

Hat Kid nodded. "Need good tools for this."

"_Why bring tools…_" Homburg started, the three making motions with their hands before a set of chisels and picks appeared within their hands of cloth and straw.

"_... When you can conjure them!_" Panama spoke with a slightly excited tone. Hat Kid gave a smile at that.

"Right, so the first thi-" Gatsby's start of an explanation was cut short as the sound of cracked ice filled the hallway. The four stilled, minions putting down tools for the moment as Hat Kid brandished their umbrella, all turning towards the source.

The ice crystals on the wall seemed to 'shift', a near kaleidoscopic pattern forming. Then, a large hand thrust out of the wall, made completely of ice. Forming before their eyes was the visage of a great, huge knight. Their size taller than even Vanessa. Broad shouldered, completely formed from crystal, and wielding a blade almost as long as they were. It stilled for a moment, before red light poured from it's horizontal slit in it's helm.

Hat Kid could barely release an 'eep' before the knight's zweihander like blade was smashing down on their location. They swapped hats rapidly, the witches's hat barely upon their scalp before they prepared a vial, tossing over before the great knight could wrench the blade from the ground.

Ice chipped cracked and shattered. A shoulder took the brunt of the potion's damage, heavily weakening one of their arms. But the detonation did not phase the knight otherwise, and the blade rose.

The greatsword swung on a horizontal arc, Hat Kid ducking beneath it as the tip of their hat was removed. They charged the umbrella, tossing another potion towards the knight's feet. It stumbled, just slightly, but enough for the child to thrust the umbrella in front of the knight's faceplate. They gripped the umbrella with both hands before releasing it's trigger, a beam of red light coating the room for a moment.

The knight's head was vapor, steam rising from the neck as the knight stilled, like a statue freezing in place. Hat Kid paused at this for a moment, before pushing the umbrella's tip into their chest.

The statue fell backwards, shattering into thousands of pieces as it hit the floor with a loud shattering. All four were quiet for a few moments afterwards.

"_Maybe you should just guard us, kid._" Panama spoke with a small amount of nervousness.

Hat kid seemed a little bummed they couldn't help further, but gave a nod regardless. Maybe this job wouldn't be that boring after all.

* * *

To the Snatcher, they couldn't muster a word or comment as they traveled through the warped, twisted floors of a place they once thought of as home. There was too much on the line if they failed. They couldn't let this magic get out of their barrier. It wasn't an option, for if it did, they feared for what would happen not just to Subcon, but the wider continent.

The higher they went, the more that feeling came to them. A heaviness in the air, like weights dropped on their person. It was constricting in every way. It made it hard to move, hard to think, hard to exist. To a weaker person, it would simply make them feel like they should just lay down and rest, forever.

But Snatcher was not one of those people. They had dealt with them countless times before. It was hindering, but not immobilizing. Before they could even realize it, they were nearing the peak of the final set of stairs. The Attic. And it was only then they could realize another sound emanating from above. A deep thumping, a constant rhythm that pulsed through the walls, vibrating them on a minuscule level.

The Snatcher finally arrived. The Attic was something completely different now. Once, it was a simple storage space for things Vanessa collected from victims. Now, within it's center lied a great, pulsing heart. The source of the tendrils lied in front of them. A great, beating heart of shadow, encased in many layers of ice. Every beat pumped more darkness into the ever growing tendrils, constantly expanding their influence, putting more and more pressure upon the barrier.

With little hesitation did Snatcher call on their power, concentrated plasma forming in their hands and shaping itself into a tool, a great spear of energy, which they took a moment to aim before hurling it towards the barrier.

The spear impacted with great force then lost cohesion, intense heat spreading across the entire front of the barrier.

At first, it didn't respond. Then, the ice cracked. It didn't sound like ice, however. It sounded like the shattering of cartilage, the failing of a skeletal system.

The heart beat faster in response, an almost whale-like noise resonating off the walls. A line of brightly glowing red formed across the black veil of phantasmal muscle, hovering for a moment. The line split, widening into an oval as a single ruby orb coalesced within it's center, locking onto the Snatcher.

The whale-like noise grew in intensity as they did so, becoming clearer. It wasn't some random ambient noise the thing made, but it was voices. Countless, shifting in pitch and tone, overlapping atop each other, making it difficult to pick out anything but garbled words.

"**TRAITOR**_**DEVIL**_**TYRANT****THING****ENEMYDIE****END**_**TERMINATE**_" the thing spoke in a cacophony, a blur that made it hard for the Snatcher to even think as it continued.

"**Shut UP**!" The Snatcher yelled, hurling another spear. The chorus screeched in response as it impacted, the crack expanding into a spiderweb. The numerous icy tentacles grew further appendages, each curling and twisting all around their assailant. Snatcher moved erratically as they willed their claws into a greater array of cutting tools, intercepting and slicing through the ice, the tentacles shattering on impact with the ground.

"**CANNOTWILLNOTIMMORTALUNENDING**" It continued as it made further and further appendages to entrap the Snatcher with. The Snatcher's face tightened in anger.

"**I said SHUT. UP**!" Snatcher retorted as they weaved through the attacks, closing the distance quickly while they lined their fist with the same material as the spear, smashing it into the ice with a resounding crack. The tentacles shuddered in response as damage expanded. But the Snatcher was not done. Both fists lined themselves, and the Snatcher sent punch after punch forward, each augmented with wave upon waves of near invisible energy. Layers fell apart, and the tentacles continued shuttering, multiple stabs towards the Snatcher's person missing before driving themselves into the floorboards.

Snatcher's assault was only stopped by a wave of energy billowing out from the heart, knocking the lavender spirit sent backwards, forcing themselves to stop by clawing into the wooden floor.

The heart twitched, it's beating a rapidly rising metronome. Darkness seeped through growing holes in the layers, before the eye within narrowed to a glare that could shatter stone before the eye vanished beneath the heart's layers.

The barriers collapsed, and the heart shifted, physics warping as it remained floating in place. it's beating continuing even as it's form expanded, forming into a tall pillar of dark, remaining rooted in place. It's top nearly reached the attic's ceiling, the smooth form then interrupted, forms of bumps and great lumps gestating and disrupting it's simple, symmetrical form. Lines of red formed all across the pillar, each opening with either a hateful stare of red or ravening maws, filled with misshapen teeth and a gullet of crimson.

Arms formed and jutted out at irregular points, each having different amounts of joints and fingers, but each nearly skeletal, coated in sharp, jagged edges.

The Snatcher could only mutter incantations in preparation, the sight of such a ghastly thing distressing them. They had never seen anything like it before, but they still knew this could only be a result of one thing. Possession. Possessing a ghost was something incredibly rare, something requiring immense magical power and skill, which explained the surge of power Vanessa seemed to possess.

But to distort their form even more than it was? It angered them as a cloak of flame washed over their form, ready to intercept any attempts at freezing them. Their eyes glowed fiercely as they mustered another spear into their hands as the thing in front of them finished forming, a grand eye atop it's 'head' completing it before it's numerous mouths began to speak again.

"**SUFFER.**" the voices spoke in unison for once, forming a ghastly symphony that rattled the room.

Energy pulsated within it's claws, a lance of ruby red sailing for the Snatcher's direction. The spirit glided past it, beginning to conjure a pillar underneath Vanessa's body. The lance shattered on the wall behind Snatcher, but a distinct whizzing caused their eyes to widen. They broke their focus on the pillar, rolling within the air to dodge the small fragments of lance that had rocketed back towards them.

As Vanessa formed further of the projectiles within multiple of their hands, Snatcher realized that a pillar would be too time-costly. They needed to focus on dodging, not spell-casting. Quick and dirty would have to do.

Snatcher focused for a moment before the lances were launched, sending a blue potion they poofed into reality into Vanessa's head from above, coating a solid portion of Vanessa's body in blue, mouths spitting as it flowed into them.

"**SUFFERSUFFER****DIE!**" it screamed, throwing lances in various directions as other hands grew to clear their eyes.

Each was wide of the Snatcher's vicinity, but that wasn't the purpose. The follow-up shards were, a storm of them launching from all directions. The spirit thrust themselves downward, phasing into the shadows within the floor. The fragments lodged themselves into the ground, chipping away further at the floorboards.

The abominable thing was too busy trying to get the goop off of itself that it had little time to notice the Snatcher launching out of the ground behind them, jabbing the spear deep into the towering figure's form, silencing one of it's eyes.

The mouths screeched in incoherence and words of a foreign, strange tongue as a wave of heat coated the bottom half of their form.

"**PAINPAINMAKEITSTOP****DIEDIEDIE**" It spluttered. The winds above howled with immense noise as they sped up immensely, a practical tornado of air beginning to form overhead.

Hands aimed towards the Snatcher fired out beams of dark, wreathed in a spring of red, forcing the ghost to move quickly away from their position. The beams cut lines straight through the walls they were aimed towards. The winds above only strengthened, and the house's integrity finally began to fall. Roof panes fell apart, the wood beneath being ripped to pieces as the attic became the eye of a great vortex.

Numerous hands rose into the air, channeling further energies into the wind as the roof and walls around them were swept apart, chunks spinning high above the newly opened battlefield.

"**UNENDINGUNDYINGPOINTLESSPOINTLESS****POINTLESS**" it's voices rose to a fever pitch as it threw lances into the vortex, using it to assault the Snatcher randomly from every angle. Chunks of the attic's roof quickly were coated in mystical ice, acting as further projectiles to assault the contractor with. They could slither past numerous at first, but the erratic patterns were difficult to react to, fragments of energy embedding themselves within phantasmal flesh, dark purple energy leaking from the wounds.

Snatcher grit their teeth before diving beneath the floorboards, as the shadows had dissipated with the roof's removal, the moon shining brightly overhead through the hole in the dome.

Vanessa responded in kind, launching icy pillars upward through the floorboards, a myriad of hands and tendrils ripping them apart piece by piece.

Atop the frozen land below, the minions could only watch as things worsened. Knight golems clawed their way out of the earth, lines of crossbows ripping them to pieces. Hat Kid and the three minions rushed out of the house, the minions holding up another statue as Hat Kid blasted golem after golem, covering the three the best they could.

Other minions came from outside the dome, adding to a growing pile of paintings beside the great spiritual bonfire of the three fox spirits who had arrived. Even with the worsening conditions, the trio danced and hummed and spun around the great flame as another minion pleaded to them.

"_Can you do anything to stop them? Anything at all? I don't know how much longer the boss can hold out against that thing!_" Bowler restrained themselves from fully yelling, but the panic in their voice was clear.

"There is soooomething we can doooo~" spoke a spirit. "Weeee cannot end suuuuch evil by ourselves, buuuut we can open the oppoooortunity~"

"The paaaaaintings, we neeed the paaaaaaintings~!" another replied. "Alllllll of them must buuuuurn, every last ooooone~!"

"Giiive us the pyre we neeeeed, and alllll problems will become smoke~!" the last added.

Bowler hesitated, but all knew that everything was on the line here, and the hatted trio beside the fiery spirits tossed in painting after painting, it's flames rising to greater heights as the dance of the three became more frantic, faster and faster with each priceless painting tossed within the flaming maw of the fire-pit.

"Flame, oh flaaaame, heed our words, our dance, our plea~!" they began to chant.

"Come to us, sup of us, our souls, our life~!"

"Darkness reigns here forevermore, bringing others to their knees~!"

"Accept our sacrifice, and let this dark…"

The bonfire rumbled, flaring up in a grand display as the bodies of the spirits merged with the flame, forming a great orb in the air.

"_**Be filled with light~!**_" the voice of the three melded together, and the orb glowed with an intensity nearly rivaling the sun, the entirety of the dome's interior filled with golden light. Above, Vanessa's eyes narrowed in both confusion and blindness at even glimpsing the sight, before the orb launched forward in a great beam of flame, impacting the monarch with unprecedented force. The beam launched straight through the physical and magical portions of the dome, and struck a hole directly through the great tower of ice that loomed far above.

The screeches reached a fever pitch, the wails of the damned cascading as layers upon layers of dark were burned away. The Snatcher emerged from the floorboard, sparing not a moment before they began casting a spell of their own. Muttering enchantments, symbology with their hands, power thrumming through their entire being as they brought their entire strength to bare, a great symbol appearing beneath Vanessa's form, portions filling with purple light as they continued.

The beam went on for several seconds, beginning to taper off.

The creature looked near anorexic now. Further boils lining it's form as hateful eyes were completely blinded, the screaming still not ceasing as limbs fell off, dissipating into mist on impacting the floor. Frenzied eyes looked in countless directions as vision returned, one after another locking onto the Snatcher.

They were casting, what, one of their pillars? The creature made a near chuckling sound as the screams settled. They were already beginning to regenerate, the cold seeping back into the air quickly. What would a simple beam of energy do?

That's when the eyes noted the symbology below them, several widening in realization.

This wasn't an energy pillar for atomizing. It was one for _exorcising_. Hands sprouted, grasping, reaching for further projectiles, but then, their world filled with purple light.

The pillar went far upwards, a violet hue running through the entire manor, snaking along the countless appendages and tentacles as black shriveled and shattered.

Countless screeches and obscenities were flung towards their adversary, darkness fading into the ether, layer by layer. And as the dark vanished, so did the glow. The storm above died, a rain of debris falling upon the house and what remained of the attic.

The remnants of the icy appendages cracked apart, now that the dark sustaining them was gone. The icy golems stilled, becoming statues. Silence fell, and for the first time in a long while, the Snatcher let out a breath of relief, even as further fluid still spilled from their wounds.

It was finally over. After so long, it was over.

Then, the rubble of what was once an attic shifted. Snatcher's attention suddenly snapped from their relaxed stupor to full attention. The exorcism should've sent everything to the Ethereal Plane. They knew it should. What was within that rubble?

Curiosity consumed them, the spirit telekinetically tossing large pieces to the side, clearing the way, and what lied there caused their eyes to widen into near dinner plates.

There, nestled in the pile of wood and shingles, was the form of Queen Vanessa. Not in the shape of a ghastly, shadowy wraith, but the young woman of before. Their hair was messier, their dress tattered, colours faded immensely, and their crown still warped, but undeniably them.

And on seeing the Snatcher, the Queen's face turned to panic. Even in a near prone state, they shifted their position, backing away rapidly from the large spirit. Confusion crossed the Snatcher's face in multiple ways as questions quickly bubbled up. How in the hell were they still here!? They were exorcised, banished from the material plane and yet here they were, scurrying away from their person? Not to mention the clear fright on their face. It was almost like they… hadn't... seen them before.

Slow realization crossed their face as Vanessa finally stopped backing off, reaching the edge of the attic's floorboards. Snatcher inched closer, trying to get a good look at them.

"Stay away, whatever you are!" the queen called out, their voice hoarse.

"**Vanessa.**" Snatcher finally spoke. "**Do you not know who I am?**"

Fear slightly melted of of Vanessa's face, ruby orbs scanning the great spirit in front of them. A flicker of recognition came with their voice, causing them to just be confused in general.

"**Hm...**" Snatcher started, clearing their throat for a moment. His voice seemed to shift, losing the odd tones their voice usually possessed, allowing them to sound quite human. "**Per**haps this voice is more recognizable, my lady?"

Vanessa's eyes widened further as the recognition revealed itself in full, coupled with shock. "P-Percival?"

Snatcher blinked at the name for a moment, holding back a chuckle at how long it had been since they had been called that. "The one and only. Though, I don't use that name anymore these days, since, well…"

They merely gestured to their form. Vanessa slowly got to their feet, simply examining the Snatcher's form.

"What… what happened to you?" Vanessa replied, confusion and fear mixing in equal measure.

"Vanessa, I _died_. I died a long, long time ago. In fact, I'm _very_ sure you should be dead right now as well." Snatcher replied.

"H-how long?" Vanessa pressed, their eyes beginning to water.

"I've been dead for over 1300 years, Vanessa." They responded, and Vanessa blinked away silent tears.

"I've been gone for… I was with you but minutes ago, watching the stars in the sky, that can't be…" Vanessa seemed unsteady, legs trembling. The Snatcher noted this, putting a hand on their shoulder to help.

"Calm yourself. Deep breaths." The Snatcher offered, Vanessa trying their best to do so. "Right. I don't want to overload you on information, since you already seem distressed enough. I'm going to transport you to my little home, alright? I have some things I still need to do here, but I will be with you in a bit. Just, take the time to relax. Read a book, maybe. Is that alright with you?"

Vanessa was quiet between their tears, but simply gave a nod.

"Alright then. Just close your eyes for a moment." Snatcher instructed.

"H-how will I know I won't open them up to be somewhere more foreign?" Vanessa questioned. Snatcher was silent for a few moments.

Snatcher willed a contract into one of their hands, a quill in another. "Sign this, and I can ensure it won't occur again."

Vanessa stared at the paper, reading it. A simple contract, saying that "You will be transported to my home with no passage of time occurring, or my soul is yours."

Vanessa tentatively signed it, the contract vanishing afterwards.

"Alright, are you ready?" Snatcher asked. Vanessa nodded again, a little more secure in their decision before closing their eyes. The Snatcher muttered a few words, and the monarch vanished. As soon as they did that, they rubbed their face with both hands, as if rinsing them with water.

What the fuck just occurred? The Snatcher was, for the lack of a better term, dumbfounded. Her existence was in error. Should've been a simple banishment to the spirit realm. Yet she lived. Lived and breathed and looked like the spitting image of days the Snatcher didn't want to remember.

Their mind raced, looking through their countless pieces of internal knowledge, trying to figure out how this was possible when a minion rose up through the stairs.

"_Boss, are you alright?!_" they called out, still seemingly recovering from the panic in the battle.

"**No, no i'm not. I need two things. One, I need your compatriots to make a suitable housing for a living, breathing human adult, and two, I need the hardest liquor you can find. Am I clear?**" The Snatcher growled out, not even turning towards them.

"_Y-yes boss, we'll get right on it. What do you want us to do with all the statues, by the way?_"

Snatcher rolled their eyes in the most literal interpretation of the term, their eyes actually spinning for a moment before settling.

"**Store them somewhere out of sight and where they won't melt. I'll get to them later.**" they lazily added.

"_Alright boss, we'll get right to it._" the minion spoke, nearly waddling back down into the house as Snatcher massaged their nonexistent temples.

This was perhaps the most complicated day of their life. And there was still more. Snatcher was not sure how much worse this could get before the form of a small child peered up the stairs.

"Sooo, ready to talk about that family thingy~?" the hatted child spoke.

And for the second time today, Snatcher screamed into the heavens.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_This chapter ended completely differently than I was intending. Also, rewrites in my head and i'm probably going to have to take the next chapter back to the drawing board._

_Also, good lord, this chapter was draining as hell to write, and I really don't know why. Took a lot out of me, hence why it took so long for this to get out. Also why I cut the part with Hat Kid in the manor a bit short, since I just wanted this to be finished. Might take a break for a few days before writing the next one. Expect something a bit more calm. As i've said previous, the chapters of this story just seem to change in tone on a whim._

_Otherwise, leave any questions or anything else within reviews or PMs. Might see about trying to answer some with the next chapter's notes or something. Could be a neat little side thing for stuff I can't cover._

_As for the stuff in this chapter, I don't think I need notes, since a lot should be more clear with the next chapter anyways. Anyways, have a good day._


	6. Reconciliation

The forest was finally quiet. It took a while, the roiling magic from the battle atop the manor still sending practically every spirit on edge, even with the barrier still mostly intact despite it's cracks.

Vanessa knew not how this forest usually was, now. While they had found themselves gravitating towards the Snatcher's large, comfortable chair, rather than read, they were simply inclined to staring out into the dark wood, trying to piece together what exactly happened. A 1300 year gap was missing from memory.

Their mind was still completely boggled by even the idea of that. They were barely 25 before, and now they were possibly the oldest human alive? It was the most impossible thing they had heard. I mean, so were ghosts, which evidently the Prince was now.

They didn't feel old, at least. They looked to their incredibly pale skin, occasionally giving it a pinch to assure themselves that this was actual reality and not some warped nightmare. She winced near every time, but it did nothing to alleviate their stress.

They glanced to the bookcase, wondering if there was a history book or anything similar within, but most of the book titles alone made them more weary of the Prince's intentions. Books on poisons, murder, and the afterlife were prevalent. Though they also noted a few law books, which further cemented that this was their Prince. They were obsessed with law even back then.

The rest just made the Queen wonder how much time and the Prince's current state had warped them. They were only knocked from their thoughts as they heard a knocking on the side of the tree, their head snapping over quickly. What greeted them was something quite surprising.

Rather than the large noodle-like creature they had seen before, the one Vanessa still only knew as Percival stepped up atop the tree's great roots in a form that heavily evoked their old human form, colour and all. They noted several differences, however.

Probably the most apparent was the outfit. It looked relatively similar to the one they remembered, but with numerous distinct changes, most obviously the colour. Rather than the bright mix of reds and violets, nearly their entire outfit was a quite dark shade of purple, nearly black but not quite. Several parts of the outfit featured notable frills, resembling the collar of the form they saw before. They jutted from their collar, the puffs on their shoulders along with their sleeves and coattails, each of a somewhat brighter purple than the rest.

The other thing was their face. It still bared that same smile they knew them for long ago, even if they could see the glint of fangs within. Their hair still a bit messy and ruffled, the colour of it somewhat paler than before. But what drew their attention the most were their eyes. Even from within the well-lit tree, they could still make out their bright yellow glow. A far cry from the emerald eyes they knew them for in the past.

Regardless, the Snatcher stayed quiet for a moment as they allowed the queen to scan them.

"I do hope i'm not interrupting anything. I simply had to change clothes, is all." they spoke, still lacking the echo that made them seem so otherworldly to Vanessa originally.

"Ah, um, is alright. Was just… thinking. A lot. You've got an… interesting choice in books nowadays." Vanessa nervously replied.

The Snatcher sighed before stepping inside. "Yeah, I kind of realized in hindsight that recommending a book was a bad idea. I... have some new interests."

"Uh… huh." Vanessa spoke with a tone that screamed incredulousness and nervousness in equal measure, only increasing as she pulled out a book listed 'How to Kill Kids'. "I don't think this kind of interest is healthy, Percy."

The ruler of Subcon Forest near visibly cringed at that name. "I don't… please don't use that name. I don't use it anymore. People normally just call me the Snatcher."

"Excuse me?" Vanessa now seemed more confused than nervous. "What, are you some boogeyman or something?"

The Snatcher stayed silent, glancing away somewhat, and Vanessa's stare grew. "You're kidding. You became some nightmare monster that terrorizes people for no reason?"

"Not for no reason. They enter the forest, they don't leave. It's that simple." Snatcher replied.

"That's…" Vanessa paused for a moment, trying to find the right words, face flickering in terms of emotion.

"Insane, outrageous, sociopathic, tyrannical? I've heard it all before, Vanessa. I have my reasons." Snatcher replied coldly, conjuring another chair opposite of the one Vanessa still sat within, leaning into it as they spoke.

The queen of a dead kingdom was silent, trying to put their thoughts in order before they came to a simple conclusion. "What happened here, then? I need to know what happened to my kingdom."

The Snatcher leaned forward. "Very well. Do you remember the date from before you found yourself here?"

"It was... August 16th, 147AF." Vanessa answered. The Snatcher seemed to rack up their own memory, quiet for a moment before they gave a nod.

"Alright, that sounds about accurate." they started. "To put it simply, from what I have pieced together, at around that time, you were possessed. By exactly what, I am completely unsure, since there are still several things that make this possession nonstandard. The first being the fact that you're still alive."

"Did you know this at the time?" Vanessa looked skeptical, even with everything else they'd seen today.

"No. I was barely even cognizant of the existence of the supernatural entirely then. Not to mention, possession is more subtle than stories would like to make you think. Possession of sentient beings isn't straight mind control, for the most part. It can influence them. Warp emotions and personality bit by bit, the change being so gradual that one can't figure it out until it's too late. Initially, when I learned about possession, I figured that's what happened, but then things didn't add up over time and I sort of tossed that theory to the curb. Now I've gone full circle."

"What didn't add up?" Vanessa asked.

"Well, possession doesn't cause radical physical changes. You went through that, even as normal as you look now. Whatever managed to get ahold of you… I don't know what it is, but it's powerful. Very, very powerful." Snatcher finished. "Not to mention, with you being, you know, alive now, that doesn't make sense either. Possession doesn't make a host immortal. You should be nothing but dust by now."

Snatcher sighed for a moment, crossing their legs somewhat before they continued."Right, now back to the history lesson. You seemed fine at first, but that changed after I came back from schooling. You became clingy, jealous, paranoid. First obsessive, then self-destructive. I simply thought you were not in the best of moods originally. So, I once went out to get you your favorite flowers, in the hopes it would make you feel better. Evidently, you saw me speaking with the florist there, and believed I was cheating on you." Snatcher continued, Vanessa watching aptly, silently. Her grip on the chair's arms tightened.

"Then, when I came back to the Manor, you threw me in chains and sent me into the manor's dungeon." Snatcher seemed a little more apprehensive here, something Vanessa noted. "I… never left that dungeon alive."

"I _killed you?_" Vanessa's hands visibly shook, eyes somewhat unfocused as they listened, trying to process the information.

"Yes and no." Snatcher corrected. "By technicality, yes, you did. But only due to the warping of possession."

"You said that possession isn't mind control, it simply influences, meaning… I could still do that." Vanessa spoke, barely even speaking to the Snatcher themselves.

"Of course you could, anyone can murder another person, no matter how 'above' it they might think they are. But that doesn't mean the methods of such were yours. I wasn't just killed, I was starved and tortured. I was practically unrecognizable by the end of it all." Snatcher retorted.

"Do you hate me?" Vanessa spoke, their voice uncertain, fearful.

Snatcher let out a breath through their nose, breaking eye contact for a moment as they seemed to compose themselves. "Hard question. Hardest question I guessed you'd ask. I'll be honest. I genuinely don't know."

Vanessa was about to ask for further information, but Snatcher wordlessly rose a finger. "But before I can elaborate, I need to finish the story first. You need to understand the context in full."

Vanessa's thoughts still roiled, but regardless, they gave a nod to continue.

"After my death, you evidently flew into a rage. Before Subcon could fully realize it, the manor sent out a great wave of cold and ice, flash-freezing the entirety of Subcon in under a minute." Snatcher started. "Everybody died immediately. No time to run, the ice simply froze everyone and everything."

Vanessa's expression wavered even further, looking down to their hands, the appendages reaching a death grip on the chair's arms.

Snatcher noticed this almost immediately, reaching over and putting their hands on the queen's shoulders.

"Vanessa. Breathe, Vanessa." Snatcher spoke with a small amount of force and a larger amount of worry. "Your body may have been responsible, but I know without a doubt that it wasn't _you_ now."

"But…" Small tears formed on Vanessa's face as they looked up, and the Snatcher moved their face to eye level with them.

"No. Buts. The thing that ended this kingdom wasn't you. It was some _thing_ that seemingly wanted nothing but pain and suffering. Don't blame yourself for this. You've suffered enough already." Snatcher replied immediately.

Vanessa's eyes widened slightly at Snatcher's choice of words. "So… you don't hate me? You don't want to kill me?"

"Kill… Vanessa, what do you take me for, a serial killer? I may kill or maim people who invade my territory, but i'm not going to kill you for no reason. I told you, it wasn't you. I'm just… conflicted. Even though I know it was something else, it was still wearing your form, using your face and voice and everything. I had to deal with that ever since i've re-established my rule here. Your possessed self has plagued the forest for ages. Honestly, i'm more worried how the others might treat you. Especially since a couple hours ago, your body wrecked the main village."

Vanessa cast their gaze downward again. "Being here will likely just cause more grief, will it not?"

"Stop with the negative." Snatcher replied with irritation. "This is a good day. Finally got the biggest nuisance in the woods off my back and can finally relax for a bit. You are welcome, it's just… i'd rather not want to think about anything like a relationship right now. I have enough on my head."

"I understand." Vanessa nodded solemnly. "But… I would like to see what's left of my kingdom."

"That is something I can do." Snatcher gave a small smile before offering a hand. Vanessa took it, rising from the red leather chair.

Suddenly, Snatcher's head snapped to the side. Their eyes narrowed into a glare as they looked outside the tree. "Kid, eavesdropping? Really?"

A nearby mushroom quivered before it shifted, revealing that it was more of a transmogrified hat.

"I wasn't gonna' bother you! I just wanted to see!" Hat Kid defended.

Snatcher sighed. "When i said I wanted privacy, _**I meant it**_**,** kiddo." Snatcher's voice flickered into their regular voice for a moment.

"Sorry…" The small ghost seemed quite downtrodden at that, but Vanessa peeked to them.

"And who is this?" Vanessa inquired.

"Um, i'm Hat Kid!" they introduced themselves with a smile, perking up immediately at their words. Snatcher's face contorted into one of confusion.

"Excuse me, 'Hat Kid' is your actual name?" Snatcher's voice was bursting with incredulousness.

"Yeah? I did sign my name on those contracts, you know." Hat Kid answered.

"Yes, and i'm obviously so fluent in _alien language_." Snatcher retorted. "That's not a name, that's a description of what you are."

"Other people on this planet aren't much better. Snatcher, Conductor, '_Empress_'." Hat Kid replied, displaying an uncharacteristic amount of vitriol with the last one.

Snatcher's eye twitched. "Mine's more of a title others gave me, kid. I just grew into it. Regardless, that doesn't mean the names aren't garbage, it just means nobody has taste. Like naming a town "Town". It's functional, _I guess_, but where's the character, the flair?"

"Then why do you call your minions 'Minions'?" Hat Kid tilted their head. Snatcher merely closed their eyes and took in a breath as a response.

"Does this happen often?" Vanessa asked. Both looked in their direction immediately, speaking a resounding "Yes."

"Well, regardless of title, it is nice to meet you, Hat Kid." Vanessa spoke, lowering themselves to the small ghost's level. "You do have a very nice hat."

"Thanks! I made it myself!" Hat Kid seemed proud at that, Vanessa giving a smile in return.

"Well, we're going on a tour right now. Would you like to come with us?" The queen offered, Hat Kid's face beaming, even in a somewhat literal sense.

"Yes!" they exclaimed, and Snatcher's face seemed to grumble silently. The queen shot a glare towards the former prince, and they responded with an eye roll.

"Fine, you can come along, kid. Just don't be too bothersome." Snatcher reluctantly replied as Vanessa stood to their full height once more.

"Where to first?" Vanessa asked.

"Well, the village is still sorta a big mess, but still somewhere you should visit." Hat Kid explained. "Come on, follow me!"

They called further attention to themselves before they began to move quickly down the forest's main road.

"Are they…?" Vanessa tilted their head slightly at Snatcher as the two began to walk down the road.

"No, they're not related to either of us. As I said, they're an alien."

"An alien ghost?"

"As silly as it sounds, yes, they're an alien ghost." Snatcher replied with some exasperation.

"Did you kill them?" Vanessa asked bluntly, watching the child take off down the road.

"No. Not for lack of trying, though. I just gave up eventually. Too much work, no gain." Snatcher replied.

"If you tried to kill them, then why are they here?"

Snatcher simply stayed silent, their yellow eyes locked onto Hat Kid.

"You like them more than you want to admit, don't you?"

"Please don't tell me i'm that transparent." Snatcher's voice cloaked itself in irritation.

"Your face has the same tells, even now."

"Another reason to dislike this body." Snatcher grumbled.

"Mhm." Vanessa acknowledged. "Mind if I take a shot in the dark?"

"Go ahead." Snatcher rose an eyebrow.

"You're the reason they're still around, aren't you?"

Snatcher paused for a moment as they passed the first large bend, eyes cast downward before they rounded back to Vanessa. "Have you ever thought about becoming an interrogator?"

Vanessa gave a chuckle. "Only if the one i'm interrogating is you."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. But yes, that's right. They got on the wrong side of a bad gang, and…"

Both let the air stay silent for a moment, as both could figure what happened next.

"Now they keep sticking around here. Been teaching them how to be a ghost. Now they keep pestering me about wanting '_family_'. Ugh."

"They want the person who tried to kill them in the past to adopt them?" Vanessa seemed skeptical.

"I know, right?" Snatcher replied. "They are _technically_ related to me now, I guess. It was a part of turning them into a spirit, but still, why?"

"Maybe they see the part of you I can still see. The one you probably hide from everyone." Vanessa speculated.

"Still not as soft as you think, Ess." Snatcher shot a small glare at Vanessa.

"Maybe, but there's definitely something there. Besides, if they're already hanging around a lot, what harm could an adoption bring?"

"You're only thinking about harm to me. Think about them." Snatcher retorted. "Someone finds out that they're the adopted kid of the world's most feared boogeyman? That's how people get kidnapped and ransomed, Vanessa."

"Fill it out under an assumed name. Your form right now looks nothing like I imagine most view you as. Just fill it out as Percival, not Snatcher." the queen suggested. Snatcher responded with silence,

"I'll think about it." the spirit finally relented.

"A good start." the queen gave a smile as Hat Kid peered back at them from their far ahead position.

"You guys comin' or wha'?" Hat Kid called out.

"In a moment!" Vanessa called out somewhat cheerfully before looking over to Snatcher. "Perhaps we shouldn't keep them waiting much longer."

Snatcher released a breath. "Fine, fine. Guess we can start the 'tour' proper."

Then they began to explain things. Piece by piece. The dark in the sky, the leafless trees, the phantasmal fire. To many, it would sound quite depressing, but to Vanessa, it sounded hopeful. People still lived here, even as spirits. Maybe they couldn't fix the past, but the future? There was always the future.

They noted everything they said, mentally writing down notes on things to look into later. They'd have to discuss plans, but perhaps things could be improved around here. They could make up for mistakes.

They could make things alright again. And as they walked down that dreary road, they gave a smile.

* * *

Smoke, alcohol, and the rumble and crackle of rolled dice. The standard smells and sounds of the Mafia HQ. The aforementioned Mafia shuffled between tables, taking in drinks, seafood, and cards in equal amounts.

Even with the impairment of their leader, they had brought in good hauls of fish and protection money this day, and that was cause for celebration. That was until a new face crossed the threshold of their base.

A tall cat, tall enough to dwarf any of the otherwise far bulkier Mafia. Their nose seemed to twitch in irritance at the smell of smoke, but seemed focused otherwise, steps paced as they walked down the main aisle, paying no mind the countless stares their appearance produced as they approached the two Mafia guarding entry further into the HQ.

"Skinny cat-lady should not bother Mafia." one spoke. The cat known as the Empress seemed nonplussed at the insult to their figure, instead focusing further.

"I wish to speak with your boss." The Empress coolly replied.

"Does skinny cat-lady have an appointment?" The other mafia asked.

The Empress tilted their head slightly. "Does an idiotic man-servant like you have a deathwish?"

The mafia's eyes widen and faces turn into scowls. No mafia would ever take a threat like that without violence of their own, and the Empress knew it.

A pair of punches went out, the Empress intercepting them with both of their hands, the cat proceeding to crush each fist, a loud cracking sound ringing out through the lobby. The mafia yelled in pain, the Empress releasing their grip and shifting it to the sides of their heads, slamming them against the door-frames they guarded so studiously.

Both fell unconscious immediately, and every set of eyes in the lobby looked out for blood.

The Empress merely turned to face them, eyes scanning over the patrons.

"Are there any others who have that wish?" The Empress had not a speck of emotion in their voice. But as patrons got out of their chairs, The Empress bared their fangs in a vicious smile as their claws revealed themselves.

* * *

The boss of the Mafia 'sat' atop their throne, wishing they had actual eyelids again. Ever since they were stuck in this jar, their anger had reached new heights. Unable to act or do anything for themselves, they despised life, and especially the mustached _freak_ who did this to them. Yet they could do little else but pout.

Sure, they could ask their Mafia to do something for them, but they were useless half the time. Actually, most of the time, really. They were more surprised the Mafia hadn't killed them accidentally at this point.

Then, a sound reached their mostly nonexistent ears. A sound of a scuffle. A fight. In their HQ?! Unacceptable.

Their eyes swiveled to look to their current retainer.

"You! Go check what's causing that commotion!" The Boss ordered, and the Mafia in question gave a salute.

"Of course, Boss." they replied, moving down the hallway as fast as they could. Which was more akin to a jog for a normal person. The boss held in a sigh at that, but their eyes had to refocus as the Mafia in question was just slammed to the side of the hallway by an opening door, the body of another Mafia doing the job.

And then, it made sense to him as they saw it's perpetrator. The Empress.

The tall cat looked no worse for wear, but they rubbed their hands clean of blood, flicking them to the floor as a pair of mismatched eyes looked to the helpless jar before them, approaching silently.

"What is the meaning of this!?" The boss yelled, yet the cat didn't respond until they were right before the throne.

"If you understand who I am, then you should know full-well what the meaning of this is, Leonardo." they replied, grasping the jar and lifting it to eye level. "I know you've been trying to spread in my territory. Competition is something that I _cannot allow_."

The boss of the Mafia couldn't do anything. They knew that. They lacked the facial features to even glare at the woman, infuriating them even more. "Well, then, what are you waiting for? Kill me!"

The Empress laughed. Full-blown laughter, echoing through the tall halls of their throne-room. It took them a moment to calm themselves, eyes focused on the boss's own as the cat's face closed in on the glass. "No, I don't think I will. Because you are of use to me as you are."

"And if I refuse?"

Their smile became cheshire as they spread their grip on the jar, wherever they looked, claws rising upward in a vice grip. "You speak as if there's a choice in the matter. Now, I believe I have a town to burn before we depart."

"You… you would condemn a town to burn to death by lava to silence competition?!" The Boss sounded dumbfounded at that, and the Empress chuckled, glancing over to them as the two began to move from the throne room, passing by the bodies of numerous dead or unconscious Mafia all about the HQ.

"Would they rather live in fear their whole lives, hoping they don't get beaten or extorted when walking on the street, or would they rather die and never be bothered by anything again? You're no better, Leo." Empress replied, and as the Mafia Boss was ripped from their HQ, they felt something they hadn't felt in ages, not even when they lost their body.

Fear.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Well. That was a chapter. Mostly exposition, something a bit quieter aside from the ending. Sorry it took a while to get out, i've just been having a case of Writer's Block lately. Hope it hasn't bothered too many of you. This chapter is sort of a transition to the next little arc, I guess. To those who were interested in seeing more of the Empress, your wish will be filled, in time._

_On another note, i'm planning a Halloween Special. It's a little side thing, not really placed chronologically. Basically just any time after this chapter. As for what's in it, that's a secret. But do expect a face that I imagine nobody would ever possibly think to see in this story. As in, completely out of left field._


	7. Flame in Dream

The first sound Hat Kid heard as they descended to Subcon Forest was a groan. A loud, echoing groan which they knew could only come from one source.

They swiveled, peering inside of Snatcher's great tree, only to find the ruler with a hand on their head, massaging it as they seemed to think.

Hat Kid inched closer, only their eyes and hat visible as they looked to the Snatcher from the outside of the tree.

"Is, uh, now a bad time for me to show up?" Hat Kid spoke nervously.

Snatcher sighed as their face turned over towards the alien. "**No, you're fine. Just… ugh, I already know this day'll be a pain.**"

Another face peeked in from the other side of the tree, blonde hair swishing from the motion. "Isn't it Halloween? I thought the 'Big Scary Snatcher' would love today." Vanessa commented with a certain amount of skepticism.

"Halloween?" Hat Kid tilted their head.

"**October the 31st, kid. It's a holiday. Kids go out at dusk wearing all sorts of costumes, getting candy from other people's houses, it's supposed to be 'spooky'. And in concept, I love it! Any chance I get to scare the shit out of a bunch of children is utterly _heavenly_.**" Snatcher explained.

"If it's a spooky holiday, then why do you not like it?" Hat Kid pressed.

Snatcher seemingly was wearing a watch today, looking down to it with a irritated expression, growing further as they noticed the time.

"**3...2...1…**" Snatcher counted down with their fingers. On the point where a zero would be, a rumbling filled the air momentarily.

"What was-" both started, but Snatcher raised a hand.

"**Look to the swamp.**" Snatcher spoke with a low tone. The two others looked to each other for a moment with quizzical looks before peering out of the tree, following Snatcher's advice.

The rickety broken bridge that acted as the gateway to the swamp was replaced. Blackened boards of wood replaced it, leading to a massive wooden platform, trees seemingly ceasing to exist just to accommodate it. And atop said platform was a great red tent, it's top reaching nearly to the treetops. It's entrance-way took the form of a ghastly mask, it's mouth and eyes emitting a pale but bright red light.

Flanking the entryway were two large insectoid creatures. To Vanessa, they immediately reminded them of a camel, sporting a long, stick-like neck, a red carapace, and each wore masks, mouthless, obscuring their eyes with black while black lines ran vertically from the eye-holes.

"Woah." Hat Kid spoke with a bit of awe.

"What… what am I exactly looking at?" Vanessa questioned, looking back to Snatcher. The elder ghost sighed, getting out of their chair.

"**The worst show on Earth. Come on, let's get this out of the way.**" Snatcher grumbled, moving towards the large tent, the two following shortly after.

* * *

The first thing Hat Kid noted when approaching the tent was the music. A slow melody, played by an accordion. Entering the tent's 'mouth', the three were greeted by a long hallway, dimly lit despite the light it emitted from the outside. Metal sconces rose along the path of cloth, each shaped like a twisted claw. Crimson flame danced within the claw's palm, eliciting a look of confusion from Hat Kid. They didn't know flames could come in such a colour.

Their questions only grew as they went further down the path, approaching the source of the music.

The person before them was certainly not a man. They were wide, broad-shouldered. What little of their skin wasn't hidden by clothing or mask indicated a chitinous exterior. Their upper body was coated in red fluff, acting as an oversized collar that went down to just beneath their wide, cloth covered arms, which were decorated with a black/white stripe pattern.

In their hands, they pumped what could only be described as the husk of a giant maggot, holes cut within to simulate an accordian.

Their mask was identical to the insects outside in design, simply altered to fit their face. The blackened eye-holes seemed to barely notice the three until they were very close, the man stopping their playing for a moment.

"Mrmm. Master waits for you." their voice was gruff and aged, but with an oddly gentle edge to it. After speaking, they immediately went back to playing, as if they'd never seen them.

Snatcher seemed barely focused on the words, only on the path ahead, and in a few moments, they reached it's end.

A dark space met them, large enough to where they couldn't see any of the walls beside the the ones right beside them.

The silence was broken as the three moved further in, the sounds of a drum-roll beginning.

Lights on great chains swung overhead, projecting light directly below as the accordion started again, a shorter, quicker version of the melody playing as the light spun closer and closer, beginning to focus on a single spot.

And as the final flourishing note finished and the the lights focused, a large puff of red smoke simply appeared, and from it, a menacing figure arrived.

The first thing that stood out was their sheer height. Easily double the height of Vanessa, rivaling the Snatcher easily. Their form was incredibly thin and lithe. Their body and arms obscured within a large grey cloak, seemingly formed from numerous strands of cloth bound, yet still visibly separated. Both ends flared out into wide collars, akin to the claw lighting from before.

Their legs were chitinous and needle sharp, as thin as a stick and lacking any true feet. Their head that reminded Vanessa vaguely of a croissant, if said croissant was made of blackened chitin and covered in a near featureless mask, much like the other denizens here. However, they lacked the black pits of the others, their eyes shaped like near angled ovals, points at each end, and filled with nothing but scarlet light, no visible pupils at all.

"Well met." the creature began, even if it's mouth showed not. The voice was low and possessed a distinct rasp, as if it's owner had breathed nothing but smoke for their entire lives.

"**Out of my forest. _Now_.**" The Snatcher thrust a finger towards the exit of the tent.

"Now, now. That is no way to treat others when we have guests." the figure replied, seemingly nonplussed by Snatcher's threat. They looked to the two others besides the lord of the forest, expression unchanging. "Ah, the Princess. It has been too long. I see your complexion has significantly improved. And you bring a little one, too! My, my, you've been busy these past few months, Prince."

"**Shut it, clown. What happens here is none of your business.**" Snatcher retorted.

"On the contrary, it very much is, until you hand over what I have asked for." the figure calmly replied.

"Um, excuse me, sir." Vanessa took a step forward, sounding a little nervous. "Who exactly are you, and why have you been bothering this forest?"

"You don't… Ah, yes, possession." the figure deduced. "Then, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Grimm, leader of the Grimm Troupe." They then proceeded to give a bow.

"I am here due to this forest containing an essence... particular to my breed. One which your lover refuses to let go of." Grimm explained.

"**Firstly, you oversized **_**leech**_**, we're not lovers anymore. Secondly, the flames belong to ****me****, and I will not let some _privileged tick_ have them.**" Snatcher corrected, more anger flowing into their voice.

"Flames?" Vanessa rose an eyebrow.

"Why yes, the flame in dream, the flames of a kingdom's fall." Grimm started, Snatcher narrowed their gaze.

"**They're memories, Vanessa. The memories of the kingdom of Subcon. This sad excuse of a showman is the most picky vampire in existence and wants to take the lingering essence of Subcon away to **_**eat**_**.**" Snatcher elaborated.

"You eat memories..?" Hat Kid seemed immensely confused at that statement.

"Nothing so barbaric." Grimm countered. "They are utilized for my continued existence, yes. But I do not _eat _them. They are used for a ritual of succession."

"You are not using our kingdom's memories." Vanessa spoke up, voice more firm and formal. "For memory is all we have left of it. I apologize for such bluntness, but such a thing is out of the question."

"Mmm. Unfortunate, but that is not entirely your call. Memories fade, kingdoms fade. Such things will degrade to nothingness regardless. I can at least use such things for an actual purpose." Grimm replied. "I will continue to return until they are mine, or they fade completely. It is your choice."

"**Then so be it.**" Snatcher growled.

"Why don't you people just settle this?" Hat Kid spoke from the side, all head looking to their direction.

"**Excuse me, kid?**" Snatcher seemed some mixture of confused and angry, their tone making it difficult to tell which they were more.

"Well, I was just wonderin', why haven't you just used your fancy pillars to, uh, remove 'em if you don't like them so much?" Hat Kid questioned.

"**Because, kid, the bastard's incredibly fast and everything here is warded to high hell.**"

"And they are too slow. They lack finesse with their magic. All brute strength and no control." Grimm replied with an almost pitying tone.

"**You're ****really** **pushing my buttons today.**" Snatcher spoke in their low tone, glaring at the cloaked insectoid.

"Point is!" Hat Kid nearly yelled to catch the two's attention. "If you two hate each other so much, and can't agree on what to do with these flame… things, why not settle it? We have a giant room here."

Snatcher rose an eyebrow while Grimm gave a chuckle, a sound that sounded closer to a cough than actual laughter.

"You desire us to have a proper dance? A wonderful idea!" Grimm's voice practically bled theatrics at this point.

"**Kid…**" Snatcher shot a sidelong glare towards Hat Kid for a moment, causing them to look nervous.

"Think about it, Lord of Subcon! The action, the excitement, the love of a cheering crowd! We could settle an issue that could take several _hundred_ more years to conclude, or, we can settle it beneath the spotlight in but a few minutes. Surely an excellent man of law yourself can handle a deal, no?" Grimm spoke, exposing their arms for a moment as they attempted to exaggerate the grandiose nature of such an event.

"**What exactly _is_ the deal you're even thinking of?**" Snatcher inquired.

"It's very, very simple. A dance beneath the stage lights. No outside help. I win, I take the flames. You win, you shall never see me nor my troupe ever_... again_." Even with their mouth not visible, Snatcher could tell they were grinning hard enough to eclipse the Cheshire Cat's.

Snatcher was quiet for a few moments before Grimm gave another chuckle. "Unless you are too frightened to do such upon my stage?"

Snatcher's eye twitched. "Alright, fine, old man! We'll settle this the old fashioned way."

"Marvelous!" Grimm gave a clap, and a single light came on, illuminating a small set of stairs to the side of the large room. "Now, would our audience take their seats? Front row, and if you desire refreshments, you need merely ask an audience member."

"Not that it will take that long." Snatcher sneered. Grimm gave a hearty chuckle in response, head tilting back to the spirit.

"Overconfidence kills, you know." Grimm spoke as the two cautiously went up the steps, moving along to the spotlight lit area as two more appeared within the open area itself. Grimm gestured to one, glancing back to Snatcher as they did. "Now, if you would take your position as well?"

Snatcher rose an eyebrow, but relented, slinking over to the spotlight.

"Then, if we are all ready…" Grimm rose a hand before snapping their fingers. The lights of the tent turned on near immediately, revealing a full audience of strange creatures were watching beside Hat Kid and Vanessa.

"Then let the show begin." Grimm spoke, before giving a bow. Snatcher narrowed their eyes, preparing a spell immediately before launching a bolt of plasma towards the bowing insect. Grimm spun mid-bow, vanishing for a moment in a puff of smoke before reappearing. The insect's eyes widened, and the invisible line of their mouth split, a ghastly, great maw of fangs appearing before Grimm screeched. "**HAVE YOU NO CIVILITY?!**"

Their cloak opened, revealing their thin carapace before dozens of projectiles launched out, each shaped like near bat-like creatures, phantasmal jaws of scarlet fire snapping at the air as they curled towards the Snatcher's position.

Snatcher reacted quickly, slimming down and shortening their size to slip by the homing projectiles, kiting them into walls as Grimm unleashed the next stage of attack, the numerous strands of their cloak extending into the ground, launching upward violently in the form of great pillars that restricted movement by billowing out more flame, pinning Snatcher into a near corridor.

Snatcher retaliated even as they dodged, a pillar of energy forming on the walls behind them, ripping through one side of the cloak spikes. Grimm then vanished, reappearing near the ceiling above the spirit's continued dodging of remaining bats. A leg took aim in but a millisecond before the troupe master launched downward, nearly skewering the spirit. Snatcher's hand frantically formed into a blade, meeting their incoming claws as they took a large swipe directly after landing. Despite neither possessing any, the screech of metal rang out as they collided.

Grimm's other hand pressed their fingers together into a would-be piercing device, Snatcher raising their own as a shimmering barrier formed in front of the piercer's route. A foot swung, and Snatcher backed away, the sharp point slicing into them.

Their jaw tightened as bright purple leaked. They figured from the first attempt at physical assault that they could do something like that. Magic infused with their whole body, allowing for damage to the immaterial as much as the physical.

Grimm then lunged forth as a claw sweeped from above, but Snatcher was prepared. A hasty muttering, and a thin pillar intercepted the lunge. Snatcher could see layers of Grimm's being exposed from it, carapace falling away like burning cloth before reforming in the same instant, the showman vanishing once again.

He reappeared towards the center of the stage, leaping into the air before their body seemed to bloat and expand, their being looking almost akin to a pufferfish as a storm of fiery projectiles launched in every direction at nearly every height.

Both Hat Kid and Vanessa saw the bolts headed right towards the rows of seats, and moved to duck down, before a large, burly hand reached across their laps.

"Calm." the voice came, both looking over to find it was the accordion player from the entrance. "Master values safety."

The bolts hit the wall just before the audience row and a magical barrier flared to life. Rather than a simple shimmering barrier, it was an elaborate weave of designs, as if the barrier itself was woven by hand and thread.

Both calmed somewhat at that, relaxing a bit in their seats.

"Mrm. Master has not danced with such vigor for a long time." the burly man spoke.

"How long have they been doing these… dances?" Vanessa asked.

They seemed to pause a moment. "Mrm. Time bleeds together. Our dance in flame has gone on forever. It is a never-ending song."

"Wowie, tha's old. Must be why the fella' sounds like they do." Hat Kid thought.

"Mrm, no." the man replied, staring off as the two continued to battle, Snatcher weaving spells of protection and destruction in equal measure to hold off the tide of projectiles.

"Master's vessel is beginning to fade. It is why they pester the lord of this forest. They require flame. The ritual of succession needs it. Without flame, we are nothing." they continued.

"Then why bother 'em?" Hat Kid tilted their head at the burly man. "Most dead kingdoms usually don't have their ruler still around to protest, ghostly or no."

"Mrm. I had thought of that too." they replied. "I believe that's why Master finds this place of such allure. Is a curiosity, mrm."

"Sounds counterproductive to one's continued existence." Vanessa commented.

"I do not question the master. That is the heart's duty." they finally replied, falling into quiet once more.

Both audience members looked to the burly man with a blink before looking at each other with a confused expression. Both internally agreed that this was the weirdest troupe they had seen. And in Hat Kid's case, the first. Not the best first impression.

Regardless, the two contestants below continued their dance. Wounds had begun to pile on both. Burns, cuts, and gashes. Even with the troupe master's regenerative abilities, they were beginning to slow, just slightly. The Snatcher suffered no such thing, but they could see it. Grimm went in for another slash of their claws, but Snatcher adjusted themselves to the side, delivering a great uppercut to the pyromancer's chin, abruptly stopping their momentum. He staggered back, shifting it gracefully into another spinning teleport.

And as the Troupe Master went for another divekick, Snatcher grinned. They didn't even turn to face the incoming kick, rather a third hand immediately grew, intercepting the leg. Grimm barely had time for their eyes to widen before the hand swiveled around to the front of Snatcher's body, flinging Grimm into the walls of the arena. However, even as the resounding noise of Grimm impacting the weaved wall, the third hand conjured and threw up several orbs of energy, flinging them into their recovering form.

Grimm began to spin, but was too late as a pillar of energy erupted beneath them, consuming them in bright purple flame. The Troupe Master emitted a mixture between a groan and a cry of agony before the pillar died, and Grimm was nowhere to be found.

The crowd fell silent and still. But then, the lights dimmed somewhat, and their leader reappeared in the middle of the stage, giving a flourish and a bow to the Snatcher. The crowd clapped and cheered for the spirit while Snatcher themselves looked slightly confused.

"Well done! I must say, I did not expect such a maneuver, and i'll admit your skill was far more than I anticipated." Grimm spoke. "You win. And I am a bug of my word. But first…"

Grimm snapped their fingers, and Snatcher could feel a pleasant warmth spread through them. The dull pain from their wounds faded. It seemed they were healed, which they begrudgingly and internally thanked their opponent for.

"**Right, if that's the case, then scram, Dracula.**" Snatcher muttered. Grimm rose a finger.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not quite just yet. And before you protest, you did never specify specifically _when_ you would never see us again." Grimm spoke. The audience members seemed to vanish in an instant. A single blink, and they were gone, leaving the two remaining in the stands further confused.

"Now, would our remaining audience members please come down? I would like to know of how such a good audience felt about our dance. Besides, I have a gift for all three of you." Grimm continued, waiting patiently for the two to shuffle down to the re-darkened tent's floor.

"It was pretty cool, I guess. The other people are weird, though." Hat Kid commented. Grimm merely chuckled.

"Ah. I would guess you spoke to Brumm. Do not take their stiffness as an insult, they are simply not the best of speakers. They are a musician first and foremost." Grimm informed. "What of you, Queen Vanessa?"

"It's just Vanessa now, thank you. I possess little to rule over." she corrected. "As for the show… to be honest, I wasn't focused on the spectacle as much as I worried about the… 'dancers'."

Grimm gave a hearty laugh, sounding a little more like one than their chuckles, though it still carried that wheezy undercurrent. "Ah, I understand. I assure you that no matter how this would've turned out, your prince would've been fine."

Snatcher just glared at them as they spoke, their arms crossed as they impatiently tapped them with a drumming motion. "**Are we _done_?**"

"Almost, dear prince. What is but a minute to an eternity?" Grimm glanced to the Snatcher before they snapped their fingers once more, a chest appearing in front of them.

"I'll leave you to open your gifts on your own time. No tricks, I promise. But to all three of you…"

Grimm gave a smile, parting the invisible line for a moment before they gave a great bow to all three.

"Have a happy Halloween." Grimm spoke. They snapped their fingers once more, a bright scarlet light completely obscuring the three's vision for a moment. By the time it faded, the tent had vanished, the swamp returned to it's natural state aside from a convenient bridge back to the shoreline.

And of course, the single red-hued chest in front of the three. Snatcher finally let themselves sigh.

"**God, that creature is maddeningly insufferable.**" Snatcher muttered, flipping open the chest.

Several objects lied inside, and with each, a note, addressed to each of them. Hat Kid was the first to look, picking up what seemed to be a mask similar to Grimm's many followers, the note attached to the front.

* * *

**Dear Hatted Child**,

_I know not your name, but I have heard of your exploits. For someone so small, it is impressive what you've accomplished. I wish you luck in the search for more of your timepieces. And to assist, I leave this mask. You should find it function as a better version of the mask you acquired from this forest. In addition, sleeping near it should be able to stop any cases of nightmares._

_I wish you a good afterlife._

_Signed, __**Grimm**_

* * *

Vanessa picked up an object themselves. A curious lantern, made of strands of twisting, snake-like strands of steel. Within lied an unlit brazier in the shape of a claw. They rose an eyebrow before shifting attention to the note.

* * *

**Dear Queen Vanessa of Subcon**,

_I know you must not remember much from your long tenure. It's likely that this world seems so foreign and strange to you. I can understand why you must cherish this place's flames, for they are the final remnant of what you remember. Memory is important, after all. Where would be be without it?_

_Regardless, I leave this lantern. It is something my troupe utilizes to store that flame in dream, and if you can convince your Prince to put the it within, the flame should no longer decay. I have also left the notes to a spell on the back of this letter. If you learn it or get the Prince to use it, you should be able to look inside and control the flame somewhat. To allow yourself to see what happened to your kingdom firsthand._

_I wish you best of luck in restoring this place, if you desire such._

_Signed, __**Grimm**_

* * *

Snatcher was the last to pick up their 'gift', skimming over the other's notes. Their gift was an odd one. It appeared to be a candelabra of sorts, but rather than wax, it was more steel shaped into a claw, akin to the lantern's brazier. The spirit looked to their note, eyes scanning over things multiple times.

* * *

**Dear Prince Snatcher of Subcon**,

_This note is a fair bit larger than the others, since i'm going to assume you read them all already, given your hatred and suspicion of my person. I understand that, and do not hold it against you in any way. In fact, my yearly disturbance is in fact the reason for presenting these gifts. A consolation for the times of irritation I have caused. As for the others receiving gifts… well, I think they deserve it, after what both have gone through._

_Now, that leads me onto the topic of more importance. There is something in your woods._

* * *

Snatcher paused for a moment as they read, rereading that final line multiple times.

* * *

_I do not know what it is, but I felt it's presence as soon as my troupe entered the woods. If it was here previously, it obscured it's presence before. I will assume it is connected to whatever possessed your lover, considering their current state. All I can figure is that whatever it is, it is very powerful and very old. I know not it's exact location, or what it might be planning, but please watch yourself. I have grown to like you quite a bit over the years, despite your rather rude behavior._

_And that brings me to my final gift. If at all you ever require my assistance, light it, and I shall appear when possible. Do be sure to save it, though. It's uses are limited._

_Even with the circumstances, I do wish you a happy Halloween, and a toast to this little family you're growing._

_Signed, __**Grimm**_

* * *

Snatcher felt a mixture of emotions at this, the key one being worry. Immense worry. Some _thing_ was in his woods? The thing which ended this kingdom was still around? They looked to the candelabra, storing it away via a quick application of directed magic before they looked to the others, who were still examining their own gifts. They bit their lip for a moment before speaking.

"**Hey, kid. Have you shown Vanessa your spaceship?**" Snatcher inquired.

"No? Why?" Hat Kid gave a head tilt. Vanessa too looked somewhat confused. Not at the spaceship, they'd seen enough strangeness by now to just accept it, more at the suddenness.

"**Well, why don't you go and give them a tour? And keep both of you out of my hair for an hour or two.**" Snatcher continued.

Vanessa could see right through Snatcher immediately. "Snatcher, explain. Now."

The spirit sighed, holding up the note. "**While I may hate the bastard, he at least had the courtesy to inform me that the thing that possessed you is still in the forest and somehow alive.**"

Vanessa's eyes widened, pupils narrowing. Snatcher quickly put a hand on their shoulder.

"**Calm yourself.**" Snatcher started, giving Vanessa a few seconds to breathe. "**We're not in imminent danger. I think. This thing seemingly likes to play the long con. But I need to make preparations in case the thing decides to show it's face.** **And I need to focus. I can't have either of you two in the line of fire. Understand?**"

Vanessa gave a nod. Hat Kid soon following suit.

"**Good. Now the sooner you leave, the sooner I can get started.**" Snatcher replied.

"Alright then." Vanessa agreed, looking down to the little one beside them. "So, where exactly is this spaceship?"

"In space, silly!" Hat Kid replied.

"Then how do you…" Vanessa was interrupted by Hat Kid taking their hand, a moment of confusion on their face turning to screams as the two were subsequently propelled through the atmosphere.

Snatcher couldn't help but cackle a little themselves, only stopping as they became little more than a dot in the sky. Their mind relaxed for a moment before focusing. Messages sent out telepathically gave highly specific orders, numerous bodies moving about the forest in near unison as their minions began to set up wards wherever they could put them. They would smoke this thing out, make precautionary measures in case the thing attacked regardless.

Make sure their closest had the least chance of harm. Snatcher breathed deeply on that one, further realizing that perhaps the tick was more correct than they wanted to admit. Yellow eyes narrowed. They'd worry about such things later. No time. But before they set to work, they looked up into the trees, staring at them for a moment.

"**I know you're listening. I don't know what you are, or how you're still around, but I know you're here.**" Snatcher spoke to the air. No response came, of course, but they expected as much.

"**If you stick around, I will make sure to rip the soul from your body and remove it from existence. Consider that your **_**only warning**_**.**" Snatcher continued before they looked back to level, slinking towards their house. Preparations needed to be overseen, contracts needed to be drafted.

Yet regardless of that, there was something up there. A thousand eyes and a thousand teeth within a thousand mouths peered at the spirit. And in that moment, it gave a myriad of needle-toothed smiles.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_Well, originally this was just going to be the little bonus Halloween special. But again, as things have tended to go, things change, and now this ties quite a bit into the main story. Hence why this actually isn't on Halloween, like I wanted it to._

_I guess Grimm's appearance makes this fanfiction a crossover now, technically. Eh. I'm not changing it, since the appearance of the Troupe is quite limited and probably won't be relevant outside of the gifts. I'm tacking on a probably since at this point, things spiral out of control. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed. May as well go with some elaboration on things._

_The Grimm Troupe: For those uninformed, the Grimm Troupe comes from Hollow Knight. They are a travelling troupe, if you could guess, headed by Grimm, vessel for the Nightmare Heart, and thus, a god of Nightmares. However, their vessels are limited in lifespan, leading to them gathering memories from fallen kingdoms to enact a ritual of succession, in which the power of the Nightmare Heart is transferred to a new vessel after the destruction of the old. A cycle of reincarnation, essentially._

_So, if they're from another game, how are they here? Well, the Troupe appears primarily when called, appearing suddenly near the point where it is done. This appears to be entirely magical, and if they can seemingly be called from anywhere, why would they be stopped by such things as dimensional boundaries? Endless realities means endless kingdoms to pilfer flames from, and thus the song of the Nightmare Heart continues forevermore._

_As for why I decided to do this? Well, it's Halloween. And what's spookier than a cultish troupe connected to nightmares? Not to mention I love Grimm and think them and Snatcher would have been quite interesting to see in terms of interaction. I hope I delivered on that well enough._

_Other bonus notes: No, the mask given to Hat Kid doesn't have the effects of one of the troupe's actual masks. No identity destruction here, just a neat keepsake._

_Grimm actually set up the gifts in but a couple of moments, thanks to connections with multiple bodies, other troupe members, and general magical shenanigans. Grimm's magic is distinctly different from any in the HiT universe. Consider them a bit outside context in that sense._


End file.
